Tropical storms and flooding are now threatening the final three T20 World Cup group games in Florida, but organisers are unlikely to move them from the state. Record rainfall has caused flash floods in Florida, leading to cars being stranded and houses being evacuated.
The New York leg of the tournament wrapped up with India’s win over the USA, and now the action is set to move to Lauderhill’s Central Broward Park. Three fixtures remain in Group A, with USA, Ireland, Canada, and Pakistan still competing for spots in the Super 8s alongside India.
Despite warnings of “excessive rainfall” from the US National Weather Service on Friday morning when the USA is scheduled to face Ireland, groundstaff at Central Broward Park are working diligently to dry the field. However, it seems unlikely that the teams will be able to practice before the match.
Despite these challenges, organisers are hopeful that the games will proceed as planned as Central Broward Park has good drainage facilities. The risk of moving remaining fixtures to a different venue at short notice is extremely low according to International Cricket Council (ICC).
The USA is currently poised to qualify for second place for Super 8s with two wins out of three matches. A win against Ireland on Friday could secure their spot. If this match results in a washout, however, they would finish with five points making it impossible for any team below them to catch up. In case of an Ireland win on Friday, Pakistan or Canada could surpass USA based on net run rate; while Canada will face India on Saturday and Pakistan will take on Ireland on Sunday.
