New York prepares for ‘high-voltage’ India-Pakistan cricket match tomorrow

New York (AFP): At the cultural crossroads of the world, New Yorkers will experience a thrilling first on Sunday — a World Cup cricket match hosted in a US city between Asian powerhouses: rivals India and Pakistan.

“India-Pakistan is the game everyone would like to watch, and… it’s happening in our backyard,” said Ajith Shetty, president of two local cricket leagues.

“I’m very, very thrilled,” the Indian native told AFP on Friday.

However, roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the pop-up stadium at Eisenhower Park on Long Island, fans interviewed in the bustling Little India neighborhood of Queens said they won’t be able to attend the game in person.

“I asked about it, but it’s so expensive. I’ll watch it on my mobile,” 31-year-old Rajeet Krishna said.

“Pakistan against India is special… there’s a long history there,” he said, with the 34,000 seats in the stadium sold out for months.

‘Lion and tiger’

This first Cricket World Cup hosted in the United States is in the T20 format, with games that last around three hours, as opposed to the five-day contests in the traditional test match format.

Tickets on the resale market are going for at least $800, with Indian Premier League (IPL) founder and former president Lalit Modi slamming the inflated prices.

The tournament “in the US is for game expansion & fan engagement, not a means to make profits on gate collections,” he said on X.

Beyond the Indian and Pakistani communities, the face-off is eagerly anticipated by immigrants from other South Asian countries where cricket is popular.

“Like lion and tiger” is how Faros Ahmed, a 58-year-old of Bangladeshi origin, described the rivalry.

“Even if I am not Indian, not Pakistani, I am going to watch it because this is a high-voltage match,” said the restaurant manager, who supports Pakistan and will broadcast the game for his customers.