The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reached a significant milestone in its preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, with the arrival and installation of specially curated pitches at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, where Bangladesh will play their second match of the event against South Africa on June 10.

Ten drop-in pitches, meticulously prepared in Florida since December, have made their way to New York via a convoy of over 20 semi-trailer trucks, thanks to the support of ICC's global logistics partner DP World. These pitches, cultivated with Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, were nurtured by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, led by renowned curator Damian Hough, utilizing techniques perfected at the iconic Adelaide Oval, ICC revealed in a press release.

Four of these pitches will be installed at the Nassau County stadium, with the remaining six designated for nearby practice facilities. The Adelaide Oval team will remain on-site to assist local grounds crews in maintaining world-class playing surfaces throughout the tournament, reported UNB.

“The installation of these pitches is one of the final pieces in a project that is unprecedented in international cricket,” said Chris Tetley, ICC Head of Events. He highlighted the innovative approach of bringing the T20 World Cup to the United States with a temporary venue and pitches originating from across the globe.

Damian Hough, Adelaide Oval Head Curator, expressed his excitement about showcasing their expertise to a global audience. “We're now focused on bedding in the pitches here in New York to ensure we're delivering an end product of the highest quality.”

The state-of-the-art, 34,000-seat modular stadium in Nassau County will host eight World Cup matches featuring teams like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the USA, and Bangladesh. The first match on June 3 will see 2014 champions Sri Lanka take on South Africa.

Bangladeshi wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim is set to feature for Fortune Barishal in the forthcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Mushfiqur had played for Sylhet Strikers in the last edition. His price was fixed at 80 lakhs in the players' draft according to the category. Which means he was in 'A' category.

The top category player will play along with other star players like Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Khaled Ahmed in Fortune Barishal.

Neymar said he was relishing “new challenges and opportunities in new places” after he joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal Tuesday, becoming the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state.

The Brazil forward, 31, ends a six-year stay in the French capital and follows in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Middle East.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added.

Neymar was “in negotiations” on Sunday to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving Paris Saint-Germain just as Kylian Mbappe was brought back in from the cold by the French champions.

A source close to PSG told AFP that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans” with the Brazilian immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Gulf kingdom.

Another source in Saudi Arabia said that “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.