India vs Pakistan: Will New York be good host to cricket's crown jewel?

It is nearly time for the 13th chapter of one of the fiercest rivalries in T20I cricket. India vs Pakistan will take center stage, this time in New York, one of the most popular centers for baseball and basketball. Unfamiliar territory and uncertainty over the conditions add more intrigue to the high-profile contest as the International Cricket Council brings the crown jewel of cricket to the biggest sports market in the world.

Gone are the days when the two neighbouring countries came to a standstill to watch India and Pakistan cricket teams battle for bragging rights and more. Despite not meeting in bilateral series since the 2012-13 season due to geopolitical issues, India and Pakistan have faced each other at least once a year since 2014 in ICC or continental tournaments (Asia Cup). The widening gulf in class between the two sides has also taken a bit of sheen away. However, the battle between the blue and the green shirts is still ICC's cash cow.

While the global football governing body built the makeshift Stadium 974 in Qatar for the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the ICC tried its hand at creating the cricket venue in suburban Nassau County, located to the east of New York City. The 34,000-seater on the outskirts of the Big Apple has been assembled at a site which was a public park until December 2023. The Nassau County Cricket Stadium is expected to be packed to the rafters with tight security arrangements in the heart of the United States for the clash on Sunday, June 9.

Also Read: Are India over-reliant on Virat Kohli vs Pakistan?

WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE INDIA VS PAKISTAN MATCH BE PLAYED?

The India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup fixture will be played at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9. The Group A match will begin at 10:30 am local time and 8 pm IST. Yes, it's a morning start in the USA and both teams have had to adapt to the change in timings for their matches in the USA.

WHY INDIA VS PAKISTAN IN NEW YORK?

The ICC, in its bid to popularise the sport in the USA, made sure three venues in New York, Dallas and Florida co-hosted 16 out of the 55-match tournament with the other six venues in the Caribbean. Despite having hurriedly arranged a cricket venue that is facing flak for the nature of pitches and practice facilities in the city, New York is expected to be buzzing on the matchday. At least, the two countries' fans are expected to turn up in numbers and deliver the first sold-out crowd at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium.

While both Dallas and Florida had established cricket venues, the ICC's decision to pitch New York as the primary venue for the T20 World Cup comes from the fact that the New York City and the Long Island region is home to one of the biggest South Asian communities in the United States. It's no surprise that the 34,000-seater is hosting 8 of the 16 matches that are played in the US.

T20 World Cup: Full Coverage | Complete Schedule

HAS NEW YORK BEEN AN IDEAL HOST SO FAR?

Well, it has been far from ideal. Firstly, the pitch at the Nassau Country Cricket Ground has faced flak for being inconsistent and, at times, dangerous to the batters. Drop-in pitches, prepared in Adelaide and transported via road, have been used at the makeshift facility and they have not lived up to expectations.

Quite a few former cricketers, including Michael Vaughan, have called the pitch at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium unfit for hosting international matches. Several pundits have said that the pitch and the venue would have been sanctioned by the ICC, if not for the time crunch that the organisers faced while assembling the facility. Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan said had this been in India, the venue would have been stripped of hosting rights.

The uneven bounce has caused headaches to the batters, but the bowlers, especially pacers, have enjoyed their outings at the Nassau Country Cricket Stadium. India captain Rohit Sharma survived an injury scare during India's game against Ireland here on June 2. Rishabh Pant, who batted at No. 3, also took blows to his body from balls that kicked off from good-length areas.

The highest total posted at the venue after four matches is 137 -- a winning total by Canada against Ireland on June 7. On Saturday, South Africa huffed and puffed to a target of 104 against the Netherlands, getting there with just two wickets and 8 balls to spare.

WILL THE PITCH AND OUTFIELD BE BETTER FOR INDIA VS PAKISTAN?

The curator of the venue, according to ESPNCricinfo, identified that sprouts of grass growing in the cracks on the pitches led to the uneven bounce. The ground staff have been working hard to roll the pitches nicely and try to make it as flat as possible to ensure a good contest between bat and ball.

While the uneven nature of the pitch has improved for good in the last two outings, the pitch is still in favour of the bowlers, albeit a bit too much. Notably, the ICC released a statement last week, promising better conditions and more consistency at the venue. Eight matches in 10 days in New York is not going to help.

Reportedly, India vs Pakistan will be played on the pitch on which South Africa and the Netherlands battled it out.

Moreover, the sand-based outfield has not ensured value for shots. Boundary hitting has not been easy as the ball, more often than not, plonks outside the 30-yard circle instead of racing to the boundary.

India captain Rohit Sharma, speaking to the press on Saturday, said teams need to be smart while dealing with such an outfield.

"No of course, hitting boundaries and sixes is not easy, so you need to put the ball in the gap and run for 2-3 runs. As I said, we don't know which pitch it is. But whichever pitch it is, whether it's a big on one side or small or a mid-sized pitch, both sides will be equal. But still, the outfield is quite big on the sides. So, there is an opportunity for the teams to be smart and push the ball into the gap and run fast. Because we saw that when you hit the ball from above, it gets stuck there. So, it's a little unknown, but it is what it is. The condition is what it is. We have to manage it," he added.

Unofficial complaints have been reportedly raised about the accommodation and the lengthy travel to the training facility. Even India head coach Rahul Dravid joked about the team training in a public park, five miles away from the ground.

While India have played a warm-up game against Bangladesh and the opener against Ireland, Pakistan did not even train at the center wicket at the Nassau County Cricket Ground until Saturday.

HOW HAS THE CROWD BEEN AT NEW YORK?

For the first time in recent history, a World Cup match featuring India had empty stands. The premium seats, which are positioned t the left and right of the sight screens, have been empty. The cost of the tickets has been an issue, as highlighted by quite a few. For the game between India and Pakistan, the tickets have been priced exorbitantly. While the budget tickets ranged between USD 175 to USD 350, most of them were sold out in the first instalment of the sale. Resale platforms have been advertising tickets for prices that have been skyrocketing.

CAN I STILL BUY TICKETS FOR INDIA VS PAKISTAN IN NEW YORK?

Even on Saturday evening, the standard price tickets (ranging from USD 300 to USD 400) were sold out. However, a few tickets in the premium range, including USD 3,000 and USD 10,000 (Diamond Club) tickets were up for grabs on the official website.

An engineer, Prithvi Mallampati, from Michigan, told IndiaToday.in that he tried getting the standard-priced tickets but his efforts went in vain. An ardent cricket fan, Prithvi said he was going to give the marquee event a skip, adding he 'didn't feel like the price was worth it'. Not surprisingly, it's the sentiment of many. Even parking prices at the Nassau County Cricket Ground is way higher than normal.

ARE THERE SCREENINGS IN NEW YORK CITY?

While Nassau County Cricket Ground is the center of attention, New York City will have multiple screenings for fans. The security in Long Island will be elevated, according to the Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochu.

WILL RAIN PLAY SPOILSPORT IN NASSAU COUNTY?

Well, unfortunately, there is a prediction of rain in Nassau County on Sunday, June 9. Showers are predicted from 8 am to 10 am in the region, which might lead to a delay in the toss. The weather is expected to be clear after 10 am in Nassau County on Sunday.

Keep in mind that there is no Reserve Day for the group-stage matches in the T20 World Cup. The last thing that India and Pakistan fans would want is a rain-marred affair on Sunday. Hope the rain gods show mercy.