Nassau County International Cricket Stadium

Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York is a unique and temporary venue constructed specifically for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Located in Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, on Long Island, this stadium offers a glimpse into the growing popularity of cricket in the US. […]

Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York

Nassau County International Cricket Stadium
A general view of Nassau County International Cricket Stadium | Source: X.com

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York is a unique and temporary venue constructed specifically for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Located in Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, on Long Island, this stadium offers a glimpse into the growing popularity of cricket in the US.

About

Established2024
Capacity34000
LocationNew York, United States
Time ZoneUTC -04:00
FloodlightsAvailable

Let’s take a look at the details of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, where the much anticipated India vs Pakistan match is set to be played on June 9:

Origin

The stadium’s origin story is directly tied to the T20 World Cup. With the West Indies and the USA co-hosting the prestigious tournament, the need for a state-of-the-art cricket facility in the New York area arose. Nassau County, with its large cricket-loving population, was chosen as the ideal location.

Temporary Stadium

One of the defining characteristics of the stadium is its temporary nature. Constructed using modular elements from Arena Event Services, the stadium has a capacity of 34,000 spectators.

This allows for a grand cricketing experience during prestigious ICC tournaments like the World Cup while ensuring minimal environmental impact after the event’s conclusion. Following the tournament, the modular components will be dismantled, leaving behind only the playing field.

Design and Key Features

The Nassau County Cricket Stadium, designed by Populous and unveiled in January 2024, is built for functionality and adaptability. They have repurposed modular structures from events like golf tournaments and the Las Vegas Grand Prix for the grandstands, making construction smoother and saving resources.

The outfield, drainage system, and pitch construction are handled by LandTek Group, the same group that has worked on top-notch fields like those at Citi Field, Yankee Stadium, and several NFL stadiums.

Boundary Lengths

An interesting aspect of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is its non-uniform boundary lengths. Unlike most grounds where the boundaries are all the same, this one has a longer left side (70m) and a shorter right side (65m). This adds a bit of spice to the game, making tactics and shot selection more interesting.

Matches Played

This Nassau County International Cricket Stadium will host matches for the upcoming event. The inaugural game is played between Sri Lanka and South Africa on June 3rd, followed by the much-awaited India versus Pakistan match on June 9th.


Pitch Report

The Nassau County Cricket Stadium is a graveyard for big scores. The pitch itself is very slow, with the ball struggling to come onto the bat. This makes it difficult to score runs freely and forces batters to take aerial risks for boundaries.

The sluggish outfield further hinders scoring opportunities, as even well-timed shots might struggle to reach the ropes. The shortest boundary is 60 metres, with the longest reaching 82 metres, but these distances are deceptive due to the slow outfield.

The pitch itself is a drop-in variety imported from Australia. These pitches typically take time to settle in, but due to the quick turnaround for the tournament, the Nassau County surface is relatively new.

Spinners find the most assistance here, exploiting the slowness and unpredictable bounce. While fast bowlers may not have natural pace support, they can find success by exploiting the unevenness with accurate bowling.

Stats

T20I Stats

Total Matches3
Matches won batting first1
Matches won bowling first2
Average 1st innings Score103
Average 2nd innings Score100
Highest total recorded137/7 (20 Ovs) By CAN vs IRE
Lowest total recorded77/10 (19.1 Ovs) By SL vs RSA
Highest score chased97/2 (12.2 Ovs) By IND vs IRE
Lowest score defended137/7 (20 Ovs) By CAN vs IRE

Legacy and Future

Even though the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is just a temporary setup, it’s going to leave a lasting impact beyond the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. This event is going to give cricket a big push in the United States, maybe even leading to more permanent cricket grounds down the line. Who knows, this temporary stadium’s success could set the stage for future sporting events.