India‘s cricketing stalwart and all-format captain, Rohit Sharma, sheds light at New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024‘s warm-up match against Bangladesh on Saturday (June 1).
India’s T20 World Cup 2024 fixtures
India’s journey in the T20 World Cup will kick off with a clash against Ireland on June 5, followed by matches against Pakistan and the United States of America (USA) on June 9 and 12, respectively. Their last Group A fixture is against Canada on June 15 in Florida, marking the end of the group stage before progressing to the Super 8 stage.
Rohit Sharma’s insights
Ahead of the tournament, speaking to the ICC, Rohit emphasized the significance of acclimatizing to the unfamiliar conditions, considering the team’s lack of prior exposure to the venue. According to Rohit, the warm-up match holds immense importance for the team as they aim to familiarize themselves with the ground and pitch, crucial for finding their rhythm before the tournament opener on June 5.
““It looks beautiful. It’s quite an open ground. When we come here and play our first game, I just can’t wait to feel the atmosphere in the stadium. We’re looking to understand the conditions more importantly (before the tournament proper) as we haven’t been here before. (We will) try and make the most of the conditions, get used to what it’s going to be like on June 5 when we play our first game. It’s just about getting into that rhythm of getting the feel of the ground, pitch and stuff like that,” Rohit said.
Also READ: Team India’s record in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history
Excitement for T20 extravaganza in USA
Expressing his anticipation for the T20 extravaganza, Rohit voiced his excitement for the historic event being hosted for the first time in the USA. He anticipated a vibrant atmosphere throughout the tournament, expecting good crowd support. The 37-year-old further conveyed that both the players and the management are equally eager and geared up for the prestigious event.
“It’s a decent capacity as well. Hopefully, it’s going to be a good one. People in New York will be very interested in coming and watching the World Cup, with the World Cup happening for the first time here. I’m pretty sure all the fans across the various teams are quite excited and looking forward to this tournament. And also as players can’t wait to get started,” Rohit concluded.
Concerns over practice facilities in New York
However, amidst the preparations, several media reports indicated dissatisfaction among the Indian camp regarding the training facilities provided at Cantiague Park in New York. The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium has no training ground of its own and therefore ICC turned Cantiague Park into an official practice venue for teams.
Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid have reportedly labeled the facilities as ‘average,’ expressing concerns over the temporary measures taken by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Additionally, grievances were raised regarding the quality of food arranged at the venue.
“Everything is makeshift from pitches to other facilities. Safe to say everything is very average in nature. The team has raised their concerns,” a source was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
ICC’s response
The report further stated that in response to the concerns raised by the Indian team, the International Cricket Council (ICC) stated that “no complaints or concerns regarding the practice facilities at Cantiague Park had been expressed by any team,”. Despite the reported dissatisfaction, the ICC maintained that there have been no formal complaints regarding the training facilities provided.
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