Following heavy rainfall in Florida, flash floods hit the region, leaving cars stranded and houses evacuated. Tropical storms and flooding have put the final three T20 World Cup group games at risk, reports Timothy Abraham of BBC Sport in New York. The New York leg of the tournament recently finished with India’s victory over the USA. The action is now set to shift to Lauderhill’s Central Broward Park.
With three fixtures remaining in Group A, co-hosts USA, Ireland, Canada, and Pakistan are still in contention for qualification for the Super 8s alongside India. However, groundstaff at Central Broward Park are working to prepare the grounds as heavy rain is predicted for Friday morning when the USA is scheduled to face Ireland. Outdoor training before the match seems unlikely due to the weather challenges.
Despite these challenges, organizers remain optimistic that the games could proceed as planned as Central Broward Park boasts good drainage facilities. It is unlikely that the International Cricket Council will change the venue for any of these fixtures at such short notice due to Sri Lanka’s fixture against Nepal being abandoned on June 11 without any play due to rain.
The outcome of Saturday’s match between Canada and India could determine who finishes second place in Group A and qualifies for the Super 8s. On Sunday, Pakistan faces Ireland in what could be a decisive match for both teams’ chances of making it through to the next round.
While Ireland has yet to win a game so far, they have a chance to finish above Canada or Pakistan based on net run rate if they can secure a victory against either team in their remaining matches.
The US National Weather Service has warned of “excessive rainfall” for Friday morning when they take on Ireland at Central Broward Park. However, organizers are confident that with proper drainage facilities and staff preparation measures in place, all fixtures can go ahead as planned despite potential weather challenges.
Overall, with just two matches left before the Super 8 knockout stage begins on Monday morning, every point counts as teams look forward to securing their place in this year’s T20 World Cup tournament held across two continents.
