New York to vibrate for India-Pakistan cricket summit, ‘excessive voltage match’ – Yahoo Information

New York is internet hosting the Cricket World Cup summit between India and Pakistan for the primary time, a possibility for hundreds of followers within the American metropolis to have enjoyable.

“India-Pakistan, that is the match everybody desires to see, and it is taking place right here!

Nevertheless, about ten kilometers from the stadium arrange for the event, most people they met in Little India, in Queens, wouldn’t have a ticket for Sunday’s sport .

“I requested, nevertheless it was so costly,” regrets Rajeet Krishna, who watches the match on his cell phone.

Two rival nations, “Pakistan towards India, it is at all times a particular sport,” remembers Rajeet. The 34,000 seats within the area have been bought out for months.

– 800 {dollars} per place –

The Cricket World Cup has by no means been organized on American soil. This model, often called T20, is performed in a tighter format than conventional video games.

Just a few hours earlier than kickoff, you would need to pay no less than 800 {dollars} to sit down within the emergency stadium stands at Eisenhower Park, east of New York Metropolis, on Lengthy Island.

“The World Cup in america is a technique to develop this sport and enhance the viewers, with out getting cash from field workplace receipts,” criticized, on X (previously Twitter), which is the president of the celebrated Indian Premier League (IPL).) Lalit Modi.

The poster can be of curiosity to many immigrants from different South Asian international locations. “Regardless that I am not Indian or Pakistani, I’ll watch as a result of it is a high-voltage sport,” mentioned Faros Ahmed, a 58-year-old Bangladeshi who helps Pakistan and expects the match to broadcast in his restaurant.

– “The Lion and the Tiger” –

“It is a high-tension occasion, just like the lion and the tiger,” he insists.

India and Pakistan, “it is a lengthy story,” says Rajeet. The 2 international locations have been one till 1947.

Nevertheless, these two cricketing foundations not often meet head-to-head. They don’t compete outdoors of official worldwide confederation (ICC) competitions and their final take a look at match, a basic type of cricket, dates again to 2007.

“We are going to take our revenge, we are going to defeat them,” says Roop Sajnani, of Indian origin and supervisor of a sari retailer. At 85, he’s nonetheless marked by his Hindu household’s transfer from Pakistan to India, throughout the pre-partition exodus.

“I’ve by no means been so excited and scared on the identical time a few cricket match,” mentioned Wajahat Khan, a Pakistani journalist who lives in Manhattan.

“Pakistan is experiencing a monetary disaster and one of many worst instances for its cricket, whereas India is prospering economically and in sport,” he sums up. . “It must be blood, however you possibly can by no means go away the Pakistan group.”

There are various retailers and eating places in Little India run by Bangladeshis. Many have been behind Pakistan, from which their nation solely gained independence in 1971.

“For example we would prefer to see India lose towards everybody,” Mostakim Shahed, a 20-year-old scholar from Bangladesh, mentioned with a smile.

“In Asia, India is the perfect group, the richest, and so they have already got sufficient supporters. Whereas Pakistan has nothing.”

– “Be mainstream” –

Sunday’s assembly is all of the extra vital as Pakistan, the sixth ranked group on the planet, are in peril of elimination within the first spherical after Thursday’s defeat towards america, 18th.

“They’re doing very effectively. We’re very comfortable,” mentioned Rahul Sharma, from Bangladesh, concerning the American group. “They’re making this nation proud. We hope this may entice extra individuals to cricket.”

“Cricket is turning into regular” in america, says Ajith Shetty. “All of the TV information is speaking about it (…) Individuals will begin respecting and understanding this sport.”

Past the competitors, which ends on the finish of June, “native gamers may gain advantage from new alternatives, have higher infrastructures,” he hopes.

They won’t, nonetheless, profit from the Lengthy Island stadium, which must be dismantled in July. Native cricketers will start their quest for a particular area in New York, an extended held dream.

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