New Delhi: The cricket pitches used for the T20 World Cup 2024 in the United States will cover a whopping distance of over 14,000 miles. They are being transported by ship from Adelaide in Australia, via Florida for the matches hosted by the U.S cities of New York, Texas and Florida.
Hosting the first-ever major global cricket tournament in the USA has proved challenging for the organisers.
Beginning on June 1, the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup will be hosted by the USA and West Indies. This will be the first ICC World Cup event in the United States.
USA’s three venues (New York, Texas and Florida) have been specially prepared for the mega-event.
Besides the opening game between the USA and Canada, the United States will host all of India’s league matches including the biggest game of the group stages, India vs Pakistan.
While 16 matches will be played in the USA, the West Indies will host 39 games of the biggest T20 international event.
States, not a cricket country, has had to make extra effort to prepare for the World Cup, especially when it comes to preparing cricket pitches.
Adelaide Oval pitch curator Damian Hough, who was given the responsibility for growing pitches in Australia and transporting them to the US, said that they aimed to produce true tracks, on which the batters can play their strokes.
A total of 10 drop-in pitches were transported to the States from Australia. Work on the pitches started at the beginning of October 2023 when they were planted in trays.
A clay-like soil, similar to the baseball venues in the US, has been used along with a particular grass that is suited to warmer climates and resistant to rolling and heavy use.
The trays travelled to the USA on a boat from Adelaide in January.
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