• Sportzyverse
• T20 World Cup 2024
• 06/03/2024
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“Cricket Has Arrived.” “Come say hi.” These bold words graced a full-page advertisement in the New York Times on Sunday, June 2, marking a significant push to promote the T20 World Cup in the United States. Featuring a graphic of the Statue of Liberty holding a cricket bat, the ad aimed to captivate the attention of New Yorkers and generate excitement for the global cricket event. This T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies, marks the first time the United States has hosted such a prestigious cricket tournament.

Creating Awareness in the US

The buzz surrounding the T20 World Cup in the United States has so far been concentrated in areas with significant populations from cricket-loving nations. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and USA Cricket are making concerted efforts to introduce the sport to native sports enthusiasts who traditionally consume American sports like baseball. The advertisement in the New York Times is part of these efforts, aiming to raise awareness and attract a broader audience to cricket.

New York is set to make history by hosting its first T20 World Cup match on Monday, June 3, with Sri Lanka taking on South Africa in a Group D contest at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium. This modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, can accommodate 34,000 spectators and was constructed in record time. The temporary stands, which will be dismantled after the tournament, symbolize the rapid expansion of cricket infrastructure in the US.

The T20 World Cup will see the USA host 16 of the 55 matches, New York eight, and Dallas and Florida four each. The highlight at Nassau County Cricket Stadium will be the marquee match between India and Pakistan on June 9, expected to draw massive crowds and international attention.

Celebrations and Promotions

Adding to the World Cup fever, the iconic Rockefeller Center in New York was illuminated with a projection show featuring images of all 20 team captains on the eve of the tournament. This spectacular light show replaced the traditional captains’ meet and pre-tournament photoshoots, which were logistically challenging. Fans gathered around the 70-floor building, capturing the dazzling display on their mobile phones.

Meanwhile, legendary Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh made an appearance on “Good Morning America,” attempting to explain the differences between cricket and baseball to the American audience. Yuvraj, Shahid Afridi, and legendary sprinter Usain Bolt served as an ambassador for the T20 World Cup, further bridging the gap between cricket and American sports fans.

The T20 World Cup in the USA follows the successful launch of Major League Cricket (MLC) last year. The franchise-based T20 tournament, infused with the flavour of the Indian Premier League (IPL), saw MI New York, owned by Mumbai Indians, clinch the inaugural title. The second edition of MLC is scheduled to commence on July 6, aiming to build on the momentum generated by the T20 World Cup.

Also read Virat Kohli Discusses Impact of Playing Cricket in USA Ahead of T20 World Cup 2024

“We feel T20 cricket is a unique product. American fans and sports fans are very discerning. When they see a good product, they will choose to spend their time learning about that sport and getting associated with it. I mean, we’re not looking to compete with any other sport. I think cricket will make its own space in the eyeballs and the viewing time and all of that with the American Sports Centre,” Major League Cricket co-founder Vijay Srinivasan told IndiaToday.in earlier this year.

Cricket’s resurgence in the USA is set to continue as the sport will be included in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. This inclusion is expected to further boost cricket’s profile and popularity in the country, aligning with the ICC and USA Cricket’s long-term vision to establish cricket as a mainstream sport in the American sports landscape.