Cricket

The United States is poised to make history as it co-hosts the Men's T20 World Cup for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the country's growing embrace of cricket. The tournament, which kicks off with the USA facing Canada at the Grand Prairie Stadium, presents a golden opportunity for the sport to penetrate the lucrative American market.The USA's hosting of the World Cup is the culmination of years of efforts to popularize cricket in a nation where traditional sports like basketball, baseball, and football dominate. The launch of Major League Cricket (MLC) last year and the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are further testaments to the sport's growing appeal.Despite the excitement surrounding the tournament, there are concerns about the lack of buzz in the country. While advertisements for the World Cup are visible in New York's Times Square and the Rockefeller Centre Building, there is little buzz outside of these areas. The opening game between the USA and Canada has not sold out, and tickets for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on June 9 are still available.Prasanna Balakrishnan, an ardent cricket fan and software developer in Dallas, believes that the tournament could have been marketed more effectively. "I don't think there is enough buzz for the World Cup here as compared to India," he said. "I feel they could have done a lot more in terms of build-up."USA Cricket's recent announcement of a 25% discount on tickets for the co-hosts' home matches further hints at a lack of enthusiasm. Balakrishnan believes that this move could damage the tournament's image. "When tickets don't actually get sold out, then you open them later at a lower price, which doesn't provide a good image," he said.Despite the challenges, the tournament remains a crucial opportunity for cricket to gain a foothold in the USA. The presence of non-cricket following locals at MLC games last year suggests that there is curiosity about the sport. However, more needs to be done to generate excitement and captivate the interest of the wider American population.

The highly anticipated first-round clash between archrivals India and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup is set to take place on June 9 at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Both teams are considered favorites to advance to the Super 8 stage from Group A, which also includes Ireland.India, led by experienced captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, is aiming to reclaim the title they won at the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007. Former Indian captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly believes that India has a strong chance of winning the World Cup, but he cautions that Pakistan will pose a formidable challenge in the Twenty20 format."Our record against Pakistan has been very good over a long period of time," Ganguly said. "In the T20 format, probably Pakistan is more dangerous compared to 50-overs (format). We beat them in Ahmedabad when they came to India and we beat them easily."However, Ganguly emphasized that India must play with freedom and without fear to maximize their chances of success. "Just put all the cobwebs behind. Don't worry about winning or losing. Don't think about winning the World Cup. Just go and play every game," he advised.Ganguly also praised India's talented squad, which includes Kohli, Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dubey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, and Sanju Samson. "That's why I say everyone is capable of winning it for India and the only way they will do it is (if they) just play with freedom," he said.Regarding the drop-in pitches that will be used in the USA leg of the World Cup, Ganguly expressed optimism that they will be batting-friendly. "I am very keen to see how the conditions are in the US. (The Nassau County Cricket Stadium is a) new ground, new stadium. I know there have been drop in pitches from Adelaide," he said."The ICC has spent a lot of money to bring in the drop-in pitches to America," he added. "(The) drop-in pitches are normally very good, very batting friendly. And they don't change much over a period of time because they are different from natural pitches. So we are expecting the pitches to be very good."

Cricket is embarking on a mission to captivate American hearts and wallets as the T20 World Cup kicks off on June 1 in Dallas. The tournament, co-hosted by the West Indies, brings the best of the sport to a less familiar territory.The United States will face Canada in the opening match, while a temporary stadium in Nassau County, New York, will host its first of eight fixtures on June 3. Lauderhill, Florida, will also host four matches.The T20 World Cup is a strategic priority for the International Cricket Council (ICC), which aims to raise the profile of the sport in the lucrative North American market. "This is the start of a journey," said ICC CEO Geoff Allardice. "The awareness that we're bringing in more elite cricket to the USA is something that's been a strategic priority for us."The journey began with Major League Cricket, which launched in the United States last year, and culminates with the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where cricket will return to the Olympic program for the first time since 1900."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 legend 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. "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.

The 2024 Men's T20 World Cup is set to make history as it ventures into the United States for the first time. The tournament, scheduled to commence on June 2, will feature 20 teams vying for the coveted title.India, led by star players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will kick off their campaign at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9. They will face Pakistan in a highly anticipated clash, followed by matches against Ireland and the United States. India's final group game against Canada will take place at the Central Broward Park in Florida.The tournament will also mark the first time the West Indies has hosted a Men's T20 World Cup since 2010. Nine stadiums across the Caribbean and three in the USA will host the matches.However, two iconic Caribbean stadiums, Sabina Park in Jamaica and Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, will not be part of the tournament due to high costs. Instead, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad will host one of the semi-finals.The other semi-final will be played at Guyana's Providence Stadium, while the final will take place at the 28,000-seater Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29.

The 2024 T20 World Cup, the ninth edition of the prestigious ICC event, is set to captivate cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Jointly hosted by the United States and the Caribbean islands, the tournament promises thrilling matches and intense competition.Teams and Format:The tournament will feature 20 teams, an increase from the 16 that participated in the previous edition. The teams have been divided into four groups of five each:* Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Ireland, Canada* Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman* Group C: West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea* Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, NepalIn the initial group stage, each team will play against the other teams in their group once. The top two teams from each group will advance to the "Super 8s" stage, while the remaining three teams will be eliminated.The "Super 8s" stage will see the eight qualified teams divided into two groups of four each. Again, each team will play against the other teams in their group once. The top two teams from each group will reach the semi-finals, and the winners of the semi-finals will qualify for the final.India's Fixtures:India, one of the tournament favorites, will face the following opponents in the group stage:* Ireland (June 5, New York)* Pakistan (June 9, New York)* USA (June 12, New York)* Canada (June 15, Florida)Warm-Up Fixtures and Playing Conditions:Seventeen teams will participate in warm-up games scheduled from May 27 to June 1. Teams can utilize all 15 members of their squad in these matches. India's only warm-up game is against Bangladesh on June 1.Tied games will be decided by a "Super Over." If the "Super Over" also results in a tie, it will continue to follow "Super Overs" until a winner can be decided.Only the first semi-final has a reserve day, in addition to 60 minutes of extra time to finish the match on June 26 itself. If not, the game moves to June 27. There will be 250 additional minutes available to finish the second semifinal on the scheduled day (June 27) itself. For the final on June 29, there is a reserve day in place on June 30.

Bangladesh's T20 World Cup preparations suffered a setback as their warm-up match against the United States in Dallas was canceled due to severe thunderstorms. The inclement weather caused flooding and damage to the Grand Prairie Stadium, rendering it unplayable."The conditions of the facilities following the adverse weather have forced us to cancel the match," said Bangladesh team manager Rabeed Iman. "We are disappointed, as this was a crucial opportunity to acclimatize to the venue."The cancellation leaves both teams without any warm-up matches ahead of the tournament. USA, who will host the tournament opener against Canada on June 1, will be particularly affected as they have never played a T20 World Cup match before.Bangladesh, who play their first game against Sri Lanka on June 7, will also be concerned about the lack of match practice. They have never won more than two matches in a T20 World Cup and will be hoping to improve on that record in the United States.The cancellation of the warm-up match adds to the pressure on Bangladesh, who were recently defeated 2-1 by the United States in a T20I series in Houston. The shock defeat raised questions about Bangladesh's form and ability to compete at the highest level.Bangladesh are in Group D of the T20 World Cup, alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nepal, and the Netherlands. They will need to perform well in the group stage to reach the Super 12s, where the top two teams from each group will advance.The United States, meanwhile, are in Group A of the tournament, alongside Canada, India, Pakistan, and Ireland. They will be hoping to make a strong impression in their first T20 World Cup and will be confident of causing an upset or two.

Cricket's global reach is set to be tested in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be held in the Caribbean and the United States. The tournament, which features the fastest and most explosive format of the game, has been expanded to include 20 nations, making it the largest ever.The United States, a country where cricket has struggled to gain a foothold, will host 16 group stage matches, including the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan. While organizers acknowledge the challenges of converting mainstream American sports fans, they hope to attract large crowds from immigrant communities with strong cricket ties.The ICC views the tournament as a stepping stone towards cricket's return to the Olympics in 2028. The T20 format, with its shorter duration and high-scoring matches, is seen as an ideal vehicle for growing the sport.The expansion of the tournament has provided opportunities for emerging cricket nations to compete on the big stage. USA, Canada, and Uganda will make their T20 World Cup debuts, while Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and Oman will aim to make their mark.India, with its star-studded lineup, is the favorite to win the tournament. However, Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, and Pakistan are all contenders.The tournament promises to be filled with surprises, as the T20 format often favors underdogs. The group stage will be crucial, with only the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Eight stage.

Bangladesh salvaged some pride by defeating the United States by 10 wickets in the final match of their three-game T20I series in Houston on Saturday. The victory came after the Americans had surprised their higher-ranked opponents by winning the first two games.Mustafizur Rahman was the star for Bangladesh, taking a career-best 6-10 as the USA were restricted to a mere 104-9 in their 20 overs. The visitors then chased down the target in just 11.4 overs without losing a wicket.The American innings started well with Shayan Jahangir and Andries Gous putting on 46 runs before Gous was caught by Soumya Sarkar off Shakib Al Hasan's bowling. Jahingir followed soon after, caught by Tanzim Hasan Sakib while attempting to pull a delivery from Mustafizur.The hosts struggled to maintain their momentum, scoring only 14 runs while losing three more wickets. Mustafizur, bowling his second spell at the death, finished with his career-best T20I figures of 6-10.Bangladesh's chase was comfortable, with Tanzid Hasan scoring 58 off 42 balls and Soumya contributing 43 off 28 deliveries. The American bowlers failed to exert any significant pressure on the Bangladeshi batsmen.Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed satisfaction with his team's response to the two previous losses. "I think the boys showed a lot of character today. I think the plan we made before this match, everyone executed," he said.He acknowledged the disappointment of losing the series but emphasized the importance of finishing on a positive note and gaining valuable experience ahead of the World Cup.USA vice-captain Aaron Jones attributed the loss to poor shot selection by the American batsmen. The USA will play two warm-up games against Bangladesh and Nepal in Grand Prairie, Dallas, before facing Canada in the opening game of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. Jones stressed the significance of these matches in finalizing the team's combination for the tournament.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl first in the third and final T20I against USA in Texas, a decision he had also made in the second game, which they lost by six runs. The series was already decided, with USA taking a 2-0 lead after their stunning wins earlier in the week.Bangladesh made two changes to their lineup, resting Jaker Ali and Shoriful Islam and bringing in Litton Das and Hasan Mahmud. USA made four changes, resting captain Monank Patel, Steven Taylor, Harmeet Singh, and Ali Khan. They were replaced by Shayan Jahangir, Nosthush Kenjige, Milind Kumar, and Nisarg Patel.Ali Khan was the hero of the last game, claiming three late wickets as Bangladesh lost their last five wickets for 14 runs in 15 balls. Harmeet Singh had starred in the first game, hitting three sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 33 off 13 balls when US needed 55 runs in the last four overs.The match began with USA winning the toss and electing to bat first. They got off to a solid start, with openers Andries Gous and Aaron Jones putting on a 50-run partnership. However, Bangladesh fought back, with Hasan Mahmud dismissing both openers in quick succession.Nitish Kumar and Corey Anderson then steadied the USA innings, putting on a 40-run partnership. But Bangladesh continued to take wickets at regular intervals, and USA eventually finished their innings on 144/9.Bangladesh's chase got off to a poor start, with Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto both falling cheaply. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy then put on a 50-run partnership, but both fell in quick succession.Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan then took control of the chase, putting on a 60-run partnership. However, Mahmudullah was dismissed for 36, and Shakib followed soon after for 32.With Bangladesh needing 20 runs off the last two overs, Rishad Hossain hit a six and a four to bring the equation down to 10 runs off the last over. However, he was dismissed off the first ball of the over, and Bangladesh eventually fell short by 10 runs.