T20 World Cup: World’s first 'modular' cricket stadium ready

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, set to host eight matches of the upcoming ICC men’s T20 World Cup, including Bangladesh’s match against South Africa, has been officially inaugurated.

Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man and World Cup ambassador, joined cricket legends Sir Curtly Ambrose, Shoaib Malik, Liam Plunkett, and USA players Corey Anderson and Monank Patel for the first look at the stadium on Wednesday.

Bangladesh will face South Africa at this venue on 10 June, and will also play an official practice match against India on 1 June, marking the first game between two international sides at the stadium. Additionally, the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match will take place here on 9 June.

The first look of the view from some of the best seats in the house officially started the final countdown to the first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture in New York, ICC said in a media release on Wednesday.

"Today’s event is the latest milestone for the Nassau County venue where construction began in January and is set to host eight World Cup matches in June. The world class 34,000-seater temporary stadium is the first-of-its-kind for international cricket and believed to be the largest ever constructed in the United States," said a news release of ICC on Wednesday.

Located in Eisenhower Park, some 25 miles east of New York, the Nassau County Stadium is the first ‘modular’ cricket stadium, constructed from scratch in just five months.

Four pitches have been set up at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, with an additional six designated for neighboring practice facilities, said the ICC. Built at Australia’s Adelaide, the pitches were curated in Florida and transported by road to New York via a convoy of more than 20 semi-trailer trucks.

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.

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.”

The West Indies and the US are co-hosting the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup that begins on 2 June and runs until 29 June.