Nearly two years since it successfully hosted the 2022 T20 World Cup, Australia will be involved in the preparations for the 2024 edition of ICC’s showpiece event in the shortest format that is set to take place in June, albeit indirectly.

No, Australia are not hosting back-to-back T20 World Cups, the honour of which will be going to West Indies and USA who will be co-hosting the event in the month of June. While the tournament returns to the Caribbean for the first time in 13 years, the United States is gearing up the first major cricketing event in its backyard.

Cricketing powerhouse Australia, meanwhile, are indirectly involved in the preparations for the T20 World Cup that begins days after the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to
BBC
, drop-in pitches have been carried to New York City all the way from Adelaide, South Australia. The Australian pitches will be used at Eisenhower Park, where a makeshift stadium (Nassau County International Stadium) is being constructed which then will host some of the biggest fixtures of the event including the marquee India vs Pakistan contest.

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The pitches were transported over a distance of 14,000 km by ship, arriving in Florida from where it was taken to the ‘Big Apple’, where it took 12 hours to plant the pitch at the venues.

Additionally, Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough is in the United States to oversee preparations at the Eisenhower Park, where India play three of their four group matches.

“Our aim is to produce pitches that have pace and consistent bounce, on which the players can play their shots. We want entertaining cricket, but there are challenges.

“I’m really excited, but I’m a bit anxious at the same time – there are still unknowns. This is a long process. What we do know is we’ve given it our best shot. We’ve thoroughly thought through every possible outcome and issue along the way and we’re hoping that they’re going to be some good cricket pitches,” Hough told BBC.

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Dallas and Miami are the other American host cities for the upcoming T20 World Cup besides NYC, with the former playing host to the tournament opener between USA and Canada on 1 June.

While the US hosts 16 games, 39 matches will take place in the Caribbean including the semi-finals and the final.