NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) — The first official matches of the T20 Cricket World Cup got underway on Long Island on Monday.
Visitors had to maneuver through road closures and increased security before they could see the action.
Officials say several streets around Eisenhower Park in East Meadow closed around 6:30 a.m. and should reopen after 6 p.m. Hempstead Turnpike may be a good alternative to get around the area.
There are 55 matches in this tournament but only eight of them will actually be played in New York, there are several other cities participating all over North America and the Caribbean.
It started Monday morning with South Africa and Sri Lanka in Nassau County’s brand new international stadium, but New York cricket leagues and youth groups have already been enjoying this park for a long time.
Each match in this T20 tournament is about three and a half hours, that’s a very condensed version of the game.
Cricket is extremely popular in New York thanks to its south Asian and Caribbean communities. There had been concern because of its popularity how much traffic it will bring to Nassau County and Eisenhower Park.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman told Eyewitness News they worked out some kinks Saturday with a test match.
He thanked the Nassau County police, OEM, fire and parks departments as well federal agencies or their work making Monday morning’s arrival go smoothly, and said now it’s time for fans to enjoy.
“The fans are really, really excited, they’re very exuberant, they let you know which team they’re rooting for,” Blakeman said. “It’s all going to culminate in the two premier matches, India versus Pakistan which is like the Super Bowl on steroids. It’s going to be crazy and fun. And then of course India-USA is going to be a big match as well, but they are all fun and if you can’t get tickets to the premier matches, come out here for the day.”
One of the easiest ways to get to the stadium is to take a shuttle bus from the Nassau Coliseum parking lot.
Meanwhile, police will be taking extra safety precautions due to terror threats made against the match between India and Pakistan.
There will be metal detectors at the park entrance, and there’s a strict no-bags policy and a no-fly zone.
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