'We can’t wait': Timelapse video shows New York cricket stadium inching closer to completion
With the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 on the horizon, the 34,000-seat modular cricket stadium in Nassau County, New York is inching closer towards completion.
A new timelapse released by the International Cricket Council shows incredible progress on the stadium's construction, which began in January. Video footage from April shows that much of the seating of the general stands has been set up while the ground has also been leveled and prepared for the games that are scheduled to begin on June 1.
ICC, in a news release Thursday, said the turf outfield has also been laid and "preparation work" on the ground has been completed while the "installation of the pitches begins next week."
The ICC released the timelapse video on Instagram.
In pictures: 34,000-seat cricket stadium going up outside NYC for 2024 ICC World Cup 2024
The stadium has been roughly divided into three different sections: the general stands on the east and west sides of the stadium for audiences and fans, the players locker rooms to the north with the hospitality and VIP boxes next to them, and the operations offices and media and broadcast areas in the south, close to the Nassau Aquatic Center.
“It is incredible to see what has been accomplished in just a few short months," T20 USA, Inc. CEO Brett Jones said in a statement. "The stands are up, the seats are in, the technology is being installed, the outfield has been laid and the pitches are on their way."
"We can’t wait to welcome the world to this incredible venue this June," he added.
The stadium is expected to be complete by May 21, according to the timeline released by the ICC. A test event will be played at the venue on May 27, while the first match at the venue, Sri Lanka vs. South Africa would be played on June 3.
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What will the Nassau County Cricket Stadium look like?
The ICC released a visualization of the stadium in January:
What matches will be played at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium?
The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium will host the following matches:
Sri Lanka vs South Africa: June 3
India vs Ireland: June 5
Netherlands vs South Africa: June 7
India vs Pakistan: June 9
South Africa vs Bangladesh: June 10
Pakistan vs Canada: June 11
USA vs India: June 12
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What to know about the 2024 T20 World Cup
Fifty-five matches will be played across nine cities – three in the U.S. and six in the Caribbean, according to the ICC, with the opening match between Canada and the U.S. to be held on June 1 at Grand Prairie Stadium in the Dallas metro area, and the grand finale on June 29 in Barbados. The semifinals will take place in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.
England enters the year as defending champions, having beaten Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne. The series will mark U.S., Canada and Uganda's first appearances at a Men's T20 World Cup.
Tickets
General tickets for the 2024 T20 World Cup matches in both the U.S. and the West Indies are available to purchase on the tournament website. While tickets for popular matches, such as the opening match between the U.S. and Canada and the highly anticipated Pakistan vs. India have sold out, tickets for other matches continue to be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. A limited number of hospitality packages for all matches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium and other stadiums in the U.S. are also available. To avail them, visit tickets.t20worldcup.com or email hospitality@t20worldcup.com.
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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nassau County cricket stadium nearing completion before 2024 World Cup
