T20 World Cup: Drop-in pitches being transported for installation at New York venue

In an unusual move, the special pitches made for the upcoming T20 World Cup are being moved from Florida to New York in large trucks. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced this major step on Tuesday. They said a lot of careful work went into making sure the playing surfaces will be of very high quality for the important event.

One of the most awaited matches, between India and Pakistan in the group stage on June 9, will happen at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, where these pitches will be set up.

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A total of ten special pitches have been grown with great care in Florida since late December. Advanced methods used for many years at the famous Adelaide Oval were employed. This big project was led by the Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions team, headed by the respected Adelaide Oval head groundsman, Damian Hough.

The ICC explained the difficult process of developing the pitches, saying “The pitches, grown with native Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, were carefully nurtured in Florida by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions and US experts LandTek Group, receiving continuous care and maintenance over the past three months.”

Four of these specially made pitches will be installed at the Nassau stadium, while the other six will be used at nearby practice facilities. To maintain the same high standards throughout the tournament, the Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions team will stay in New York, helping the local grounds crews with pitch maintenance.

The innovative drop-in square technique, used at top venues like Adelaide Oval and Eden Park, was meticulously prepared in Florida and transported by road to New York using over 20 large trucks. The outfield was laid last week by LandTek, a company experienced in working with famous teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Inter Miami CF.

The T20 World Cup will take place from June 2 to June 29 at venues in the USA and West Indies.

The New York matches will be at a new 34,000-seat modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, Nassau County, east of Manhattan. Nine teams including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada, Ireland, Bangladesh, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the USA will play in New York, with the first match on June 3 between 2014 champion Sri Lanka and South Africa.