NEW YORK: Several bulldozers have surrounded Nassau County International Stadium in New York as authorities gear up to dismantle the stadium following the ICC T20 World Cup match between India and the USA held yesterday.
Located in Eisenhower Park, the Nassau County International Stadium hosted eight matches during the Group Stage, including the highly anticipated India versus Pakistan clash on Sunday, which India won thrillingly by six runs.
However, throughout the tournament, the stadium and its pitches garnered attention for the wrong reasons. The outfield was criticized for being too slow, and the pitches came under scrutiny from many former and current players for their unpredictable bounce and poor play.
The stadium uses drop-in pitches, which are prepared off-site and then installed into the ground before each match. Temporary stands, accommodating up to 34,000 spectators and designed by Populous, were swiftly erected, with turf supplied by LandTek Group, known for successful projects with New York’s Major League Baseball teams and Inter Miami Major League Soccer team.
The drop-in turf square was curated in Florida by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions and head curator Damian Hough, transported in pieces on a 20-hour journey before being assembled at the venue.
An International Cricket Council (ICC) official confirmed that the stadium will be dismantled, leaving the pitch and ground for local use. “Yes, the stadium will be dismantled by the authorities after the India vs USA game. The process will start from tomorrow, only the pitch and the ground will be left for the locals”, the official stated.
Reportedly constructed within 75 days at a cost of Rs 250 crore, the stadium’s legacy will endure through its pitch and grounds.
Regarding the match between India and USA, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bowl first. The USA put on a fighting total of 110/8 in their 20 overs, with Nitish Kumar (27 in 23 balls, with two fours and a six) and Steven Taylor (24 in 30 balls, with two sixes) playing crucial knocks.
Arshdeep (4/9) and Hardik Pandya (2/14) were the top bowlers for India. Axar Patel also got a wicket. In the run-chase of 111, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for single-digit scores and Rishabh Pant (18 in 20 balls, with a four and six). India was left struggling at 39/3 in 7.3 overs. Following this, Suryakumar Yadav (50 in 49 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Shivam Dube (31* in 35 balls, with a four and six) stitched a match-winning 72-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Saurabh Netravalkar (2/18) was the pick of the bowlers for the USA. Arshdeep took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his fiery spell.
With three wins in three games, India sits at the top of Group-A and has advanced to the Super Eights. The USA stays in second place with two wins and a loss, giving them four points. (ANI)