US to emerge as major cricket host next year as Dallas, NY & Florida to stage T20 World Cup games

THE United States is set to emerge as a major cricketing host next year when it will stage the T20 World Cup jointly with the West Indies. It will be the first time that the country, which had played the first-ever cricket match against Canada in 1844 in New York and is yet to appear in a cricket world cup, will host the marquee tournament.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that three major cities in the US will serve as venues for the world cup in the game's shortest format next year and they are: Dallas, New York and Florida.

The matches of the tournament will be held at Grand Prairie in Dallas; Nassau County in New York and Broward County in Florida. If reports are to be believed, the New York facility will host one of the biggest clashes of the tournament -- India versus Pakistan.

The US and the West Indies were chosen as the co-hosts of the global tournament in November 2021. The venues were picked following an extensive evaluation.

According to an article published on the ICC website, modular stadium solutions will be used to increase facilities for the mega event.

"An agreement has been reached for the construction of a 34,000-seat modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, a purpose-built sports and events park in Nassau County, New York, on awarding of the required permit next month," it said.

The size of the venues at Grand Prairie and Broward County will be made bigger by modular stadium solutions in order to expand seating, media and premium hospitality areas subject to the final decision.

“We’re delighted to announce the three USA venues that will host part of the biggest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ever staged, with 20 teams competing for the trophy. The USA is a strategically important market and these venues give us an excellent opportunity to make a statement in the world’s biggest sport market," ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said.

Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County executive, said he was excited to partner with the ICC to host the cricket world cup next year.

“Nassau County is excited to partner with the ICC to host the Men’s T20 World Cup, one of the most popular sporting events in the world. With more than one billion fans worldwide, this event will attract fans from all around the world to Eisenhower Park," he was quoted as saying in the ICC report.

“Whether it be PGA events, record breaking concerts in our parks, or the annual Belmont Stakes, we are no stranger to hosting large scale events on the world stage. I look forward to bringing our many diverse communities together to watch some of the best cricket in the world, right here in Nassau County.”

Several other potential venues in the US have been identified for pre-event matches and training. Among them is George Mason University in Washington, which is the home for Major League Cricket (MLC) team Washington Freedom.

While the US has not been a regular party to international cricket, the game's following on its soil is slowly picking up. This year, the MLC made a sensational debut with a number of internationally reputed players taking part in it.

Some top franchises of the Indian Premier League, arguably the most successful T20 cricket league in the world, including five-time champions Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians along with Kolkata Knight Riders have bought teams in the MLC.

IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have already bought teams in the MLC.