T20 World Cup 2024: Ricky Ponting excited for India, Pakistan clash in New York

Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting is looking forward to an exciting chapter for cricket in the United States as anticipation builds ahead of the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. 

Scheduled to take place at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9, Ponting is expecting a thrilling encounter between the two cricketing giants.

"I've seen it firsthand here in Australia, in Melbourne last time around, where there were 95,000 people in the stadium and another 50,000 people outside the stadium. You can imagine what it's going to be like in New York. So, really exciting times for the world game," Ponting said in the latest ICC review.

Ponting expressed his excitement for the growth of cricket in the United States, citing the diverse expatriate communities from cricket-loving nations residing in the country.

"I think there's a great opportunity to continue to grow and promote the game in that part of the world. And that's a big part of the reason that I took the coaching job at Washington Freedom, to be a part of that sort of movement to grow the game in the US," Ponting stated.

"There's obviously so many expat Indians, West Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, and Afghans in that part of the world that we know that they will continue to promote the game. But what we have to do is get the Americans into loving and understanding the game of cricket,” he further added.

Ponting envisions significant growth potential for cricket in the USA, particularly with the development of infrastructure such as dedicated stadiums in various cities.

"I'd like to think it can become really big and as I said, actually become really big quite quickly. What I'm hearing, I think part of the franchise model with the teams that were in last year was everyone has to sort of build their own stadium in the different cities that were playing the games. And I think when that happens in a few years, there'll be the potential to grow the tournament out, maybe add a couple more teams," Ponting said.

Looking ahead, Ponting is optimistic about cricket's prospects in the USA and emphasizes the importance of collective efforts in promoting the game to its fullest potential.

"And once you start playing in not just the six but in a lot of these big cities in the US, then I think there's an opportunity for great growth and quick growth. And we shouldn't sit back and just think in two years it's going to be a mini IPL, it probably won't be that. But I think that's what we should all be aiming for and doing our best to promote the game the best way that we can," he concluded.