Amy Tennery
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — As thousands of spectators descend on Nassau County to watch arch rivals India and Pakistan clash in the group stage of the T20 World Cup on Sunday, New York state officials are preparing for a “Super Bowl on steroids.”
The two teams have one of the fiercest rivalries in sports, and the match will be played at a packed 34,000-seat temporary stadium in East Meadow, New York, with millions more watching on television.
“India-Pakistan is like a beefed-up Super Bowl. We never expected it to be as big as it was,” Nassau County Mayor Bruce Blakeman said. “We want to give it our all.”
This means extraordinary security measures in the counties bordering New York City, with local security guards at all levels working together.
New York Governor Kathy Hochle said last week that security would be stepped up for the World Cup following reports of threats, including one in connection with the India-Pakistan match.
“I thought what she said was refreshing,” Blakeman said. “I feel confident that this is a safe environment, or I wouldn’t be hosting it.”
The two teams have not played a Test match since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and the cheapest ticket for Sunday’s game was $790 on ticket resale site StubHub as of Monday afternoon.
Operations appeared to go smoothly on Monday, with security personnel stationed at the New York stadium and the first of eight matches taking place, in which South Africa beat Sri Lanka by six wickets.
The United States will co-host the tournament with the West Indies, with matches also being played in Texas and Florida, as the sport looks to attract American fans ahead of its return to the Olympic Games in 2028.
The 12,562 fans who gathered in New York on Monday were in a party mood, getting a taste of home for immigrants who never expected to see their national team play a cricket match on American soil.
“It’s literally a dream come true. No one ever imagined cricket would be here, that there would be this many fans,” said Shehan Perera, 27, who emigrated to the U.S. from Sri Lanka when he was 14.
“There’s a demand for cricket everywhere. If there’s an event, we’ll be there.”
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