T20 World Cup Kicks Off in Dallas, but All Eyes on New York

In just a few hours, the T20 World Cup will kick off in Dallas with the traditional rivalry match between the United States and Canada. However, the spotlight is firmly on New York, where India will play their only warm-up match against Bangladesh on Saturday morning local time. This match is crucial for Team India as they finalize their best XI for the tournament.

For the first time, a Cricket World Cup match is being held in New York, and the India-Bangladesh game serves as a dress rehearsal for the International Cricket Council (ICC). Over 7,000 tickets have already been sold for this match, and it will be broadcast live on Disney Star and Hotstar.

An ICC official involved in game operations told Cricbuzz, "It will be live on Star. Some tickets were sold as part of a test program, and there will be about 7,000 fans in the stadium. We are testing infrastructure, accreditation, ticketing, bag screening, and volunteers."

The stadium, with a capacity of 36,000, will be demolished after the World Cup. It will host a total of eight matches, including the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash on June 9.

Interestingly, only four Indian players attended the optional net session on the day before the Bangladesh match. Under the coaching panel led by Rahul Dravid, Rishabh Pant, Rinku Singh, Mohammad Siraj, and Avesh Khan participated in practice. The Indian team management will decide on the inclusion of Virat Kohli in the playing XI on the match day.

Following the warm-up match, India will play their first World Cup match at the same venue against Ireland on June 5. Bangladesh will begin their campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8.

This match in New York is not just a crucial preparation for the teams but also a significant event for the ICC, testing their operations and infrastructure ahead of the main tournament.