ICC T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup: Suryakumar Yadav, Arshdeep Singh shine as India beat USA to reach Super 8s | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Suryakumar Yadav‘s unbeaten half-century and Arshdeep Singh‘s career-best bowling figures of 4-9 propelled India to a seven-wicket victory over the United States in their Group A encounter at the T20 World Cup on Wednesday. The win secured India’s spot in the Super Eights round.India’s chase of the modest 111-run target was not without hiccups, as they found themselves in trouble at 15-2 and then 44-3. However, Yadav (50) and Shivam Dube (31) steadied the ship with an unbroken 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket, guiding their team to victory with 10 balls to spare. The United States, despite the loss, remain in a strong position to advance to the Super Eights alongside India, as they have four points, while Pakistan and Canada have two each.India’s top order struggled against Mumbai-born fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, who dismissed Virat Kohli for a golden duck and also accounted for Rohit Sharma‘s wicket. Rishabh Pant’s brief 18-run innings ended when Ali Khan rattled his stumps. Earlier, the United States got off to a disastrous start, losing two wickets to Arshdeep Singh in the first over, with the score reading 3-2. Captain Aaron Jones, who had scored an unbeaten 94 against Canada, managed only 11 runs before falling to Hardik Pandya. Steven Taylor (24) and Nitish Kumar (27) added 31 runs for the fourth wicket, but the latter was brilliantly caught by Mohammed Siraj off Arshdeep’s bowling. Corey Anderson, the former New Zealand all-rounder, scored 15 before being caught by Pant off Pandya, who completed a wicket-maiden. The United States managed to cross the 100-run mark thanks to contributions from Shadley van Schalkwyk (11) and Jasdeep Singh (2).India now join Australia and South Africa as the three teams to have secured their places in the next stage of the tournament.

Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

Adam Zampa becomes Australia’s leading wicket-taker in T20 WC history

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

North Sound [Antigua and Barbuda], : Australian spinner Adam Zampa surpassed pacer Mitchell Starc to become the country’s leading wicket-taker in ICC T20 World Cup history. Adam Zampa becomes Australia’s leading wicket-taker in T20 WC history Zampa accomplished this milestone during his side’s ICC T20 World Cup clash against Namibia at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Date mein Crickit, late mein Crickit! Catch the game anytime, anywhere on Crickit. Find out how In the game, Zampa delivered a destructive spell of 4/12 in four overs at an economy rate of 3.00 that caused the Namibian side to fall apart. His scalps included the star all-rounder David Wiese. Now in 17 matches, Zampa has taken 31 wickets at an average of 11.93 and an economy rate of 5.96, with the best bowling figures of 5/19. He has surpassed Starc, who has taken 29 wickets in 22 matches at an average of 24.72, with the best figures of 3/20 and an economy rate of 8.43. The top three leading wicket-takers in T20 WC history are: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan , former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi and former Sri Lankan pace legend Lasith Malinga . Zampa on Wednesday also became the first Australian to take 100 wickets in T20Is. Now in 83 games, he has 100 wickets at an average of 21.46 and an economy rate of 7.20, with the best figures of 5/19. Zampa also secured his fifth ‘Player of the Match’ award in his T20 WC career, tying with stars like Chris Gayle , Mahela Jayawardene and Shane Watson for clinching the honour second-highest amount of times. Indian batting icon Virat Kohli has the highest ‘Player of the Match’ award wins in the tournament history, with seven. Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and put Namibia to bat first. Except for skipper Gerhard Erasmus , no other batter made an impact and Namibia was skittled out for just 72 runs in 17 overs. Zampa was the top wicket-taker for Australia. Josh Hazlewood and Marcus Stoinis also did fine with the ball. Pat Cummins and Nathan Ellis got a wicket each. In the run-chase, Australia chased down the total in just 5.4 overs, with Travis Head and David Warner and skipper Marsh playing destructive knocks. Zampa became the ‘Player of the Match’ for his marvellous spell. In Group B, Australia is at the top with three wins in three matches, giving them six points. Namibia is in the third spot with a win and two losses, giving them two points. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Pakistan crush Canada by 7 wickets to notch up first win in T20 World Cup

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

Pakistan players celebrate a wicket during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 match against Canada in New York on June 11, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI Pakistan batters finally rose to the occasion to beat Canada by seven wickets in their must-win Group A match and give their campaign a boost in the T20 World Cup here on Tuesday. Opting to bowl, Pakistani bowlers produced a unified show to restrict Canada for a modest 106/7. Chasing, opener Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam took Pakistan over the line with 15 balls to spare. Rizwan aand Babar shared 63 runs for the second wicket to set up the platform for the win. Babar made a run-a-ball 33 with one six and a four, while Rizwan once again played the role of an anchor in a small chase, scoring 53 not out from as many deliveries with two fours and a six. Pakistan did appear to be making heavy weather of a modest chase when they had crawled to 28 for 1 in the powerplay with the Canadian seamers doing a fine job. However, run-scoring became much easier when Canada spinners came into the attack and with their vast experience, Babar and Rizwan brought the equation down with deft rotation of the strike and punishing the bad balls. Earlier in the first half, Aaron Johnson’s 52 was the only bright spot for Canada as an inspired Pakistan restricted their opponents to 106 for 7. On a two-paced wicket with the occasional uneven bounce making the rest of their batters struggle, Johnson waged a lone battle for Canada with a 44-ball 52, studded with four sixes and as many fours even as the Pakistani bowlers kept chipping away with wickets. While Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers with 4-0-13-2, Haris Rauf returned with 2/26 while Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/21) and Naseem Shah (1/24) recovered well after wayward starts. The only Canadian batter to trouble the Pakistan bowlers, Johnson did not shy away from attacking on every available opportunity. It was his hits down the ground that caught the eye and he managed to clear the ropes with brute power even if he had not timed them well. But shortly after having completed his half-century, Johnson perished when he missed a Naseem Sham delivery to be cleaned up. With the burly Johnson dismissed at the team total of 73, Canada were in danger of being restricted for far less or even bowled out but skipper Saad Bin Zafar (10) and Kaleem Sana (13) took their team past the 100-run mark to give their bowlers a total to bowl at. The pressure was telling when Pakistan’s strike bowler Shaheen began with two full tosses on the pads and Johnson put them away for boundaries. Johnson cashed in again when Naseem began with a delivery moving away from the batter but he sent it flying over the field on the off-side for the third four. Pakistan’s first success came through Amir, who after being hit for a first-ball four, cleaned up Navneet Dhaliwal off the final delivery. Shaheen returned with a change of ends to get Pargat Singh (2) caught by Fakhar Zaman as Pakistan pulled things back by the end of the powerplay. Imad Wasim then produced a direct hit from cover to run out Nicholas Kirton (1) at the non-striker’s end, which piled up further pressure on Johnson who did all the heavylifting in the top order. Haris Rauf produced a double-wicket 10th over to have Shreyas Movva (2) caught behind and Ravinderpal Singh (0) caught in the first slip to leave Canada reeling at 54 for five, while also completing his 100 T20I wickets.

IND vs USA, T20 World Cup 2024: Team India eye better batting show against ‘Mini India‘ USA

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Indian players celebrate a wicket during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan. | Photo Credit: ANI When Harmeet Singh made his First Class debut for Mumbai, Rohit Sharma was his teammate. Saurabh Netravalkar took the field at the 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup alongside K.L. Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. Nosthush Kenjige played with Ambati Rayudu for MI Emirates. Milind Kumar once shared the Royal Challengers Bangalore dressing room with Virat Kohli. Harmeet, Netravalkar, Kenjige and Milind could not quite reach the highest echelons of Indian cricket, and moved to greener pastures in the USA. For this group, and a few more in the USA squad, a shot at redemption is here. In what must feel like an unlikely dream, USA hosts India in a Group-A ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match in New York on June 12. USA, primarily made up of players with roots in India, Pakistan and West Indies, is on a roll. The side started the campaign with a win over neighbour Canada, before shocking the world with a Super Over victory over Pakistan. Dream run From rank outsider, USA is now in with a real chance of reaching the Super 8. Belief will be high that another upset, this time against India, is not beyond reach. Monank Patel, born in Anand (Gujarat), leads from the front. Monank laid the platform for USA in the Pakistan game with a classy 38-ball 50. Ali Khan, who moved to the USA from Pakistan nearly 15 years ago, is a pace threat alongside Netravalkar. Former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson is a familiar name in the squad. The American dream faces a severe test against India. The standout side in this tournament, India has skipped over all potential potholes. Rohit Sharma’s men have passed the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium pitch test twice. Batting first or second has made no difference to the outcome. The USA batters will need to raise their game several notches to tackle the phenomenal Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik Pandya has come on well as a wicket-taking option with his steady seamers. Stacked with all-rounders, Rohit Sharma has bowling options galore. On the batting front, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel and Rohit have found form. The team management is keen to keep the batting order flexible. This led to Axar Patel being promoted to four against Pakistan – a move that bore fruit. India will hope that Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav get going. Kohli has been unable to crack the code on this challenging surface, falling for 1 and 4. Suryakumar’s penchant for big shots has not worked here, as he too has returned single-digit scores. The crowd on June 12 would love to see a Kohli or Suryakumar masterclass. A fighting effort from the underdog host will receive equal applause. SQUADS India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. United States: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir. Match Starts: 8pm IST.

T20 World Cup 2024: If you showcase this to world, it’s not great selling product: Klaasen on New York pitch

Danijones5 months ago07 mins

South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen in action during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024 match against Bangladesh. | Photo Credit: AP If the ICC wants to market T20 cricket in the USA, the pitch and outfield at the Nassau County Cricket Ground isn’t a “great selling product”, South Africa’s flamboyant batter Heinrich Klaasen said joining the chorus of criticism against the venue. The new drop-in pitch at the ground located in the Long Islands has been dual-paced with uneven bounce, making batting very difficult. India and South Africa have been able to defend totals as low as 119 and 113 respectively on back-to-back days on this track. “Obviously, if you have to showcase it to the world and sell it, I don’t think it’s a great selling product, but for cricket, it’s tight competition. It brings the other teams and the higher teams very close to each other,” Klaasen, who scored 46 off 44 balls in team’s four-run win said at the post-match press conference. The power-hitter said that all premier batters across teams would love to just get out of New York while the bowlers would love to stay put forever. The ICC has already acknowledged that the pitches here have not played as consistently as was desired. “I think all the batters are keen to get out of this place, to be fair. The bowlers would love to stay here but – no we’ve done our job that was the goal to win three out of three here. Obviously, it was a little bit harder than what we thought,” he said. “For us, it’s very nerve-wracking, because every game becomes a really big game. There’s no easy games for us especially in our group. So, it’s still good entertaining cricket. Everyone is on the edge of their seats and any team can beat any team on the down this on this field.” Klaasen was a part of the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket last year and when asked if he has enjoyed this ICC project of trying to market cricket in a new city with a temporary stadium, his answer was a mixed one. “Yes and No,” he said before elaborately explaining his take. “I played in Dallas and in North Carolina where I think there’s a little bit more cricket there. The wickets (pitches) are better so it’s easier to sell cricket in that aspect,” he said. “It’s fantastic what they’ve done with the stadium here and I think as the wicket matures, but obviously I think they’re taking it out in two – three days’ time so that doesn’t help,” Klaasen explained. “The more the wicket matures, the better these conditions will get and I think it will be a better showcase for the people. This wicket is I think, four months old, so there’s a lot of maturity that needs to go into the wicket that will produce bigger scores.” Klaasen was an integral part of a very successful Sunrisers Hyderabad batting unit which redefined Powerplay in this year’s IPL with the help of an Impact Player and flat batting decks. The towering batter said that one month is ancient history now. “Yeah, it’s a big change you see scores there — well it was a month and a half ago we were part of a score that’s 270 — 260 so it’s well off, but it’s part of the game. “It doesn’t look like the Caribbean wickets are too much better. So, we have to play smart cricket and use our cricket brain a little bit more.” He feels that once the Super Eight starts in the West Indies, the par-score will be 160 plus. “Out of us all, the thing on stats that are out of 18 games, it’s only been one score above 200. So normally in the Caribbean, it’s about 160 as par. If you get to 160-170, you’re in a good shot and you have to bowl well. “So, I reckon that’s normally the good scores there, or power scores. Depending where you play, the wickets are very different around the Caribbean.”

T20 World Cup 2024: Australia faces Namibia with an eye on Super Eight; Sri Lanka in must-win situation against Nepal

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

Living up to the favourites tag with two consecutive wins, a confident Australia will aim to secure a Super Eight berth when they face lower-ranked Namibia in their Group B T20 World Cup clash in North Sound on June 12. Australia fired in unison to become the first team in this edition of the tournament to score 200-plus runs in a one-sided 36-run win over arch-rivals England in their last group league match. It was their second win from as many matches, having started off with a 39-run triumph over Oman. Beating Nambia will be enough for them to make the cut before they take on Scotland in their concluding Group B league fixture. Scotland lead the table with five points and along with Australia, are firmly ahead in the race to make the Super Eight at the expense of defending champions England who have one point from two matches. Their opening game against Scotland was a washout. Australia defeated Namibia by seven wickets after restricting their opponents to 119/9 in their only T20 meeting, albeit in a warm-up game two weeks back. Playing his last World Cup for Australia, David Warner has been in splendid form with one half century and it was his 16-ball 39 that set the tone for their 201/7 against England. Warner incidentally scored a fifty in the warm-up against Namibia as well. He has 97 runs in the tournament at a fine strike rate of 141.79. Warner’s opening partner Travis Head has also been at his explosive best and the duo will look to give the team a fiery start. Namibia will expect their veteran all-rounder David Wiese to step up after he starred in their Super-Over win against Oman. The globe-trotting all-rounder has the experience of facing Australia four times in T20Is during his stint with South Africa. Left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz, who has been tidy conceding just one four and one six in his eight overs, will also look to make an impact. Teams (from) Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner and Adam Zampa. Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Green, Michael Van Lingen, Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, Tangeni Lungameni, Niko Davin, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, JP Kotze, David Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, Malan Kruger and PD Blignaut. Match starts: 6am IST. Sri Lanka in must win clash against Nepal Former champion Sri Lanka’s campaign has gone terribly haywire after defeats to South Africa and they are now faced with a do-or-die clash against Nepal in a group D fixture in Lauderhill, Florida. Sri Lanka campaign has gone terribly haywire and they now face with a do-or-die clash against Nepal. | Photo Credit: AFP Nepal, on the other hand, lost to the Netherlands by six wickets in their only match so far. South Africa have already qualified to Super Eight following their nervy win over Bangladesh. A win for the Wanindu Hasaranga-led side will further heat up the race for the second spot with Bangladesh, Netherlands, and Nepal also in the reckoning. For that to happen, the onus will be on the batters. A loss, on the other hand, would mean curtains for Sri Lanka. Teams (from): Nepal: Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal and Kamal Singh Airee Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka. Match starts: 5am IST.

T20 World Cup: Max O’Dowd half-century steers Netherlands to six-wicket win against Nepal | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Max O’Dowd’s unbeaten 54 off 48 balls guided the Netherlands to a six-wicket win against Nepal in their T20 World Cup Group D match on Tuesday at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. The Dutch chased down the target of 107 runs in 18.4 overs, with Bas de Leede hitting the winning boundary. Vikram Singh contributed 22 runs, while Sybrand Engelbrecht scored 14.Nepal’s chances were hurt by three dropped catches, including a missed opportunity by captain Rohit Paudel to dismiss O’Dowd in the 18th over. The Netherlands’ bowling attack had earlier restricted Nepal to 106 all out, with Logan van Beek and Tim Pringle each taking three wickets. Paul van Meekeren and de Leede claimed two wickets apiece.“Our bowlers were awesome up top,” Netherlands captain Scott Edwards said afterwards.“All five of our bowlers were brilliant. Ideally we would have got the runs a little quicker, but it was great the way Max batted, and Bassie finished it off well.“We’ve got to play consistent cricket right way through this tournament.” After losing the toss and being put in to bat, Nepal struggled in the damp, overcast conditions, finding themselves at 15-2 after 3.1 overs. Anil Sah was caught by van Beek off Pringle for 11 runs, with Nepal reaching 40-3. “The conditions while batting were really challenging,” Nepal captain Paudel said. “Netherlands bowled really well.”Rohit Paudel provided some resistance with a quick 35 off 37 balls, but his partners in the middle order fell rapidly. Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Sompal Kami were dismissed in quick succession, leaving Nepal at 66-6 after 13.2 overs. Once Paudel was dismissed by Pringle, the last three wickets fell swiftly.

Rohit Sharma’s hilarious ‘Oh Larry Paaji’ comment on NBA Trophy goes viral – Watch | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: As Team India gears up for their T20 World Cup campaign, captain Rohit Sharma took a light-hearted break to pose with the NBA trophy at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York. The skipper also shared his enthusiasm for basketball during this interaction.In a video posted by the NBA on Instagram, Rohit brought his sense of humour to the forefront by humorously addressing the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in Punjabi.Posing alongside the iconic NBA trophy, Rohit began the video with a playful greeting, saying, ‘Oh Larry paaji, kya haal chaal’?Rohit’s animated interaction with the trophy amused fans, adding a fun twist to the serious preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup. His love for basketball and his witty remarks showcased his versatile personality beyond the cricket field.“Oh Larry paaji, kya haal chaal,” Rohit said in a video. The 37-year-old went on to reveal that his favourite basketball player is the legendary Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls star who dominated the sport in the United States.“My favourite has always been Michael Jordan, for what he did for the Chicago Bulls is obviously quite inspiring,” he said.Rohit, in good spirits ahead of the T20 extravaganza, expressed his enjoyment in watching current-generation basketball stars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry compete at the highest level of the sport.Additionally, he humorously commented on the weight of the NBA trophy, adding a light-hearted touch to the interaction.“And guys like LeBron James, Steph Curry, those are the guys I love watching. Oh, it looks quite heavy. No wonder they’re so big and tall and strong,” the India captain said.The ICC T20 World Cup is set to take place in the West Indies and the USA from June 2 to 29. As part of their preparations, the Men in Blue will face Bangladesh in their only warm-up game on June 1 in New York.Team India has their sights set on capturing their first T20 World Cup title since their victory in the inaugural edition of the tournament back in 2007, held in South Africa.In the most recent edition hosted in Australia in 2022, India faced a disappointing defeat to England in the semifinals, losing by 10 wickets. As they gear up for the upcoming tournament, India will be aiming to rectify that outcome and bring the T20 World Cup trophy back home.(With ANI inputs)

ICC Twenty20 World Cup a boost to sport’s American Dream

Danijones5 months ago08 mins

A general view shows the Nassau county International Cricket Stadium for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in New York. | Photo Credit: AFP Cricket begins a campaign for the hearts and wallets of American fans this week, as the T20 World Cup kicks off on June 1 in Dallas, bringing the best of the sport to less familiar territory. The United States play Canada in the first match of the tournament co-hosted by the West Indies, while a temporary stadium in Nassau County, New York, hosts its first of eight fixtures on June 3. Lauderhill, Florida, will host four matches. Cricket boasts billion fans around the globe but few adherents in the lucrative North American market, where fans are more accustomed to watching New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge picking up a bat than Rohit Sharma or Jos Buttler. “This is the start of a journey,” International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Geoff Allardice told Reuters. “The awareness that we’re bringing in more elite cricket to the USA is something that’s been a strategic priority for us.” This aerial photo shows the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium under construction in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York | Photo Credit: AFP The journey started with Major League Cricket, which began play in the United States last year, and culminates with the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where cricket will be reintroduced to the Olympic programme for the first time since 1900. ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: Full schedule, venues and complete squads “In the lead up to the Los Angeles Olympics, I think we’ll be continuing to try and raise the profile of cricket, not just for the established cricket fans in the USA but for new fans,” said Allardice. The tournament, which counts Jamaican track hero Usain Bolt as an ambassador, is a dream come true for U.S. immigrants, who comprise much of the sport’s U.S. fan base and are more used to watching the action on television than in their own backyard. “I mean, (India have) got some of the biggest names in world sport as part of their team,” said Allardice. “And to be able to get close to them and see them in action, I think it’s an opportunity that’s something that comes along (not) very often for cricket fans in the USA.” The ICC T20 World Cup runs from June 1-29. ICC ‘excited’ as cricket’s newest stadium launched in New York The newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, near New York, was launched on Wednesday with the sport’s world body “excited” to conquer new territories through the T20 World Cup in June. Legends of T20 World Cup: Leading run-getters and batters with best strike rates The 34,000-capacity stadium, with infrastructure from the Las Vegas Formula 1 circuit and drop-in pitches prepared in Florida, will host the hotly-anticipated India-Pakistan clash on June 9, among its eight scheduled World Cup games. Construction workers build the Nassau county International Cricket Stadium for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow in New York. The 34,000-capacity stadium, with infrastructure from the Las Vegas Formula 1 circuit and drop-in pitches prepared in Florida, will host the hotly-anticipated India-Pakistan clash on June 9, among its eight scheduled World Cup games. | Photo Credit: AFP The showpiece 20-over event will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States starting June 1 with New York, Florida and Dallas as venues. The International Cricket Council (ICC) remains happy with the focus on the India-Pakistan clash and the Nassau project as part of bringing the game to the US. “Yeah, absolutely! We can run that game anywhere and the interest in the fixture would be immense,” Chris Tetley, the ICC’s head of events, told reporters in a media roundtable. “The news stories that we have seen and the media coverage in the US itself as well as amongst the cricket media around the world. I have not seen that before around an ICC event.” Tetley added: “We are really excited to bring the T20 World Cup cricket to the US and the opportunity that it presents to the sport and from what I can see there is an audience really waiting for us to come.” T20 Cricket will also feature as one of five new sports at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. A general view shows a media center the Nassau county International Cricket Stadium for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Eisenhower Park in New York | Photo Credit: AFP Making a cricket stadium in Nassau remained a huge challenge for the ICC, who got in Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough for the job. Hough created the first drop-in pitch in Adelaide in 2013 and the latest strips at the Nassau County ground promise good cricket and balance between bat and ball. “People shouldn’t be concerned about drop-in pitches,” said Hough. “They are proven around the world, definitely in Australia. Some of the best cricket is played on drop-in pitches and are really successful.”

Twenty20 World Cup: Rishabh Pant eager to wear ‘India Blue’ jersey; hopes to make it count

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and teammates during a training session ahead of their ICC T20 World Cup opening match against Ireland on June 5, in New York. | Photo Credit: ANI It would be 527 days since his life-threatening accident when Rishabh Pant dons the India jersey on June 5 at the Nassau County ground for the opening T20 World Cup match against Ireland and he can’t wait for it. On March 23 this year, Pant wore the blue of Delhi Capitals while making an emotional comeback after the horrific car crash in 2022 but he is more eager to wear a different shade of blue — the ‘India Blue’ to be specific. ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: Full schedule, venues and complete squads “Getting back on the field with an Indian jersey on is a different feeling altogether. this is something I missed a lot…Hopefully I (can) make it count and make it better from here,” Pant told BCCI.TV on the sidelines of India’s first net session ahead of the warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1. Pant, who underwent an intense 15-month rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, had teammate Suryakumar Yadav for company during this interaction and recalled the time how his presence helped him cope with the loneliness of his injury management programme in the NCA. “Seeing the team here and meeting them again, spending time, having fun with them, having a conversation with them, I really enjoyed,” a beaming Pant said. Legends of T20 World Cup: Leading run-getters and batters with best strike rates Having scored 446 runs in 13 IPL games, Pant is slowly getting back into the groove. The leaner and fitter Pant looked in nice touch at the India nets at the Cantiague Park on the outskirts of New York City. Pant also spoke about the prospects of cricket gaining popularity in the USA going forward. He felt the T20 World Cup could be the start of an eventful chapter. “We are used to playing in certain countries but this is a different prospect. It has opened up a different channel for sport because I feel cricket is growing around the world and…getting the exposure here would be nice for cricket as well as USA cricket,” he said. He spoke about the drop-in pitches that will be used during the tournament and also the bright sunshine that he and the rest of the team is getting used to. “New pitches are there. I’m just getting used to the conditions. The sun is a little bit brighter here, so just getting used to the conditions over here. Let’s see how it goes,” Pant concluded.