India vs Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2024 clash to be played on 'Drop-in' pitches transported by 20 semi-trucks

The buzz around the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 is only growing as six teams have already announced their respective squads for the marquee tournament. 

Drop-in pitch for India vs Pakistan's T20 World Cup clash

Meanwhile, 10 drop-in pitches have their destination, the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, which will also host the high-octane India versus Pakistan's T20 World Cup clash. This marks a major milestone ahead of the tournament's opening match on June 2.

Notably, these 10 drop-in pitches weren't created overnight. They were meticulously prepared by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions in Florida since the end of last year. Thankfully, the delivery process went smoothly, with all pitches reaching their new home safe and sound. While cricket fans eagerly await the action to begin, some groundwork needs to be done. Four of the pitches will be installed in the heart of the stadium, ready for the spotlight. The remaining six will be set up at nearby practice facilities, allowing teams to get acclimated before the big games.

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The ICC celebrates a major milestone for the T20 World Cup with the arrival of the pitches in New York.

Pitch Perfect

On May 1st, the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York witnessed a crucial step in its preparation – the transportation and installation of the playing surface's heart: the pitches.

Crafted with Expertise

Ten drop-in pitches were meticulously prepared in Florida since December. The process utilized unique techniques developed over a decade at Adelaide Oval and overseen by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions led by Damian Hough, their renowned Head Curator.

A Global Collaboration

Cultivated with native Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, these pitches received dedicated care from both Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions and US-based LandTek Group for the past three months.

Strategic Placement

Four pitches will be the main stage at the Nassau County stadium, while the remaining six will be located at nearby practice facilities.

To ensure top-notch playing conditions throughout the tournament, the Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions team will remain on-site in New York to assist local grounds crews in maintaining the pitches.

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The heart of the cricket pitch, a pre-made "drop-in square" commonly used in major stadiums, has arrived in New York.  This crucial piece, meticulously prepared in Florida, travelled by road via a massive convoy of over 20 semi-trailer trucks. A big thanks goes to the ICC's official logistics partner, DP World, for ensuring a smooth journey. The groundwork isn't finished yet! LandTek, a company trusted by prestigious sports teams like the New York Yankees, Mets, and Inter Miami CF, has already laid the outfield last week. With both the pitch and outfield coming together, the stage is literally being set for exciting cricket matches in New York.

Meanwhile, ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley said:

“The installation of these pitches is one of the final pieces in a project that is unprecedented in international cricket. We have taken a considered and well-planned approach to this project, using the very best in the business in Damian Hough to ensure we have the best possible playing surface for eight World Cup matches in New York."

 

“T20 as a format was an innovation in its time to bring the sport of cricket to a new and expanded audience. This innovative strategy, to bring the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 to the United States, with a temporary venue and a pitch that has its founding on the other side of the globe, is truly groundbreaking and I can’t wait to see the world’s best compete in Nassau County this June,” he added.

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Damian Hough, the Adelaide Oval Head Curator also gave his two cents on the pitch.

“We are excited to see the arrival of the pitches here in New York. Florida proved to be the ideal nursery for the pitches with good weather, and working alongside great partners like LandTek has been fantastic and everything is coming together as it should," Damian Hough said.

 

“We’re now focused on bedding in the pitches here in New York to ensure we’re delivering an end product of the highest quality. The games in New York are a great platform for us to showcase our abilities to a global audience. It’s certainly a massive thrill for everyone at Adelaide Oval to be involved in such a huge event," he concluded.

 

The games in New York are set to occur at a cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular stadium situated in Eisenhower Park, Nassau County, to the east of Manhattan. The venue will host nine teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada, Ireland, Bangladesh, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the USA. The inaugural match, featuring 2014 champions Sri Lanka against South Africa, is scheduled for June 2.

 

Talking about Team India's T20 World Cup fixture, they are placed in Group A alongside their arch-rivals Pakistan. They'll also face Ireland, Canada, and co-hosts USA. The Indian brigade kicks off their journey on June 5 against Ireland at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. But cricket fans around the world will be eagerly waiting for their high-octane clash against Pakistan.

 

India’s Fixtures for T20 World Cup 2024-(Group A matches)

 

Date	Match	Venue
5 June	India vs Ireland	Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
9 June	India vs Pakistan	Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
12 June	USA vs India	Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
15 June	India vs Canada	Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill

 

India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan

 

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