New York officials are getting ready for a major event as thousands of fans head to Nassau County for the India vs. Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup on Sunday. This match is considered one of the most intense rivalries in sports. The temporary 34,000-seat stadium in East Meadow, New York, will be packed, with millions more watching on TV.
“India vs. Pakistan is like the Super Bowl on steroids. We didn’t realize how big it was,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. “We want to do our best.”
This has led to extraordinary safety measures, with security teams from all levels working together in the county next to New York City. New York state governor Kathy Hochul mentioned last week that there will be increased security for the World Cup, especially for the India-Pakistan match due to reported threats.
“I found her remarks reassuring,” Blakeman said. “I am confident this is a safe environment – if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t hold it.”
India and Pakistan haven’t played a test match since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. As of Monday afternoon, the cheapest ticket for Sunday’s match was $790 on the resale website StubHub.
Operations went smoothly on Monday, with strong security as the stadium hosted the first of eight matches, where South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets.
The United States is co-hosting the tournament with the West Indies, with other matches in Texas and Florida. Cricket aims to attract American fans before it returns to the Olympics in 2028.
The 12,562 fans in New York on Monday kept the excitement alive, with many immigrants thrilled to see their national teams play cricket in the U.S.
“Literally a dream come true. One would never expect cricket to be here, but you see so many fans out here,” said Shehan Perera, 27, who moved to the U.S. from Sri Lanka when he was 14.
“There’s a demand for cricket anywhere. If there’s an event, we’re going to show up.”
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