T20 World Cup 2024: Threat of ‘lone wolf attack’ during India vs Pakistan match, New York promises ‘maximum security’

Security has been beefed up for the high-profile India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2024 match on June 9 at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in Eisenhower Park in New York. This comes after Long Island authorities received a threat of a “lone wolf attack”. However, the governor’s office found no evidence of the threat.

Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive, said CBS News that Nassau County receives all types of threats and the agency takes every threat seriously. “We have taken many precautions. The stadium, the surrounding Eisenhower Park, the parking lots and the guard areas are safe. As a precautionary measure, we are hiring about 100 additional police officers in addition to our regular staff,” he said.

On the other hand, Police Chief Patrick Ryder also assured the “greatest security measures in the history of the country” to ensure that Nassau County would be the safest place on June 9. “When it comes to the safety of the residents here, we will go through every last detail … I can guarantee you that the safest place in Nassau County on June 9 will be the stadium,” Ryder said, according to CBS News.

New York City Governor Kathy Hochul said the administration has been working with Nassau County and federal authorities for months to ensure the safety of visitors and New Yorkers during the World Cup games.

“…close coordination with the New York State Police Anti-Terrorism Unit and New York State Police Troop L based on Long Island. We continue to monitor the situation closely. However, this time there is no credible threat to public safety. I have directed the State Police to take increased security measures,” Hochul said.

This is the first time that the United States has hosted a World Cup-sized cricket tournament. The Nassau County Cricket Stadium will host eight matches, including the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match, which is a major draw at any cricket event. Given the large South Asian community in the United States, a large turnout is expected for this clash of Asian giants in Group A.