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EAST MEADOWS – In the shadow of New York’s skyscrapers, a dream field emerges, but it’s not a baseball field. It’s the field for another bat and ball sport that supporters believe will finally conquer the American people: cricket.
The centuries-old British sport has a cult following around the world, but the United States, which has long preferred American football, basketball and the national pastime of baseball, has stubbornly resisted the sport.
That could change early next month, when the United States gets its biggest moment in cricket, co-hosting the Twenty20 World Cup, a shortened version of the cricket tournament series. The temporary new stadium, funded entirely by the International Cricket Council, the sport’s global governing body, will host eight tournament games, including the headlining event on June 9, which could be an epic showdown between two of the sport’s biggest rivals, India and Pakistan.
About 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of New York City, a forest of metal beams supports 34,000 bleacher seats in Eisenhower Park on Long Island. The International Cricket Council chose this site after earlier plans in the Bronx fell through. It’s not as elegant as Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, but the Nassau County International Cricket Ground will soon be in the spotlight—thanks to quick approval from local authorities.
“People from all over the world come to Nassau County. Kings, princes and big shots come here,” said a beaming Michael D’Ambrosio, deputy county parks commissioner. “A lot of people are very envious and jealous that we get this trophy,” he told AFP, noting the tournament’s huge global audience.
And the International Cricket Council is investing heavily in the future of cricket in the United States, especially in the New York area, which is home to hundreds of thousands of residents with ties to cricket-playing nations, especially India and Pakistan. Tickets for the India-Pakistan cricket match are already sold out, with prices online exceeding $1,000 per ticket.
– Professional league – But once the stadium is demolished in July, local cricket will be back in the lurch. Despite having around 10,000 players, the sport has no dedicated stadium in New York. “Cricket is growing but infrastructure is where the struggle is,” lamented Ajith Shetty, president of the Commonwealth Cricket League (CCL), the region’s premier cricket organisation.
New York does field a team in MLS, a professional league launched last year, and plays at dedicated stadiums – in Texas and North Carolina, where all MLS games are played to control costs. “We are exploring opportunities to build a permanent playing surface close to our loyal fans,” a spokesman for New York MI, the reigning MLS champions, told AFP.
Meanwhile, CCL players have to haul 500-pound (225-kilogram) mats from one court to another, which serve as the “court,” the rectangular area in the center of a cricket field. “There’s no other sport that requires so much effort, only New York cricket.”
“They’re making us suffer,” said Shetty, an Indian-born entrepreneur. “New York used to be the mecca of cricket,” he added. But while things have stagnated in New York, they have improved in other states, especially Texas. The United States swept the first three T20 international series of the World Cup by defeating Bangladesh in Houston on Thursday.
– ‘It’s been a long time coming’ – With the support of local entrepreneurs, some CCL clubs pay players thousands of dollars a year, though that’s not enough to make them quit their day jobs. Waqas Ashiq, who plays for Long Island United, recalled the struggles when the team was founded in 2008 and saw hope. “It’s been a long time coming,” he said before walking into the field to bat.
“I’m hoping that with the World Cup coming up, there will be an uptick in interest.” Shetty, the entrepreneur, says the International Cricket Council is keen to invest in youth development in the U.S., especially with cricket set to return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Schools have also shown interest. Ashik agrees that the challenge now, as well as seeking a permanent stadium, is to get the next generation involved — the children of cricket-loving immigrants who have made New York their home. “That’s the only way to grow the sport and make sure it’s solid for the next 10, 20, 30 years.”
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