NASSAU COUNTY, NY — Authorities have increased security ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup on Long Island, a Nassau County official said.
The official told CNN that a threat from the terrorist group ISIS-K was considered credible until proven otherwise.
Nassau County Police Chief Patrick Ryder previously said the April event received a threat linked to ISIS-K, followed by more specific threats against Sunday’s game in the International Cricket Stadium in Eisenhower Park.
The threat refers to a viral video circulating online calling for a ‘lone wolf to act out’.
Officials received a “more general” threat on Sunday
On Sunday morning, officials received an additional, “more general” threat, Ryder told CNN. The new threat is not specifically aimed at Sunday’s game, but about someone standing behind a sports stadium, Ryder said.
“So today, the game – we’ve increased our security, we’re working through all the investigations from the intelligence side and we’ll be prepared,” Ryder said.
Security around Sunday’s match will include officers monitoring the fence line, checking cars and patrolling with horses and drones.
The cricket venue will be “the safest place in Nassau County” today, Ryder said, which he also said in the weeks leading up to the tournament.
2024 Cricket World Cup Security
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman previously said officials have been working on it for months World Cup security and described it as “the Super Bowl on steroids,” with coordinated efforts with federal partners including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Ryder previously outlined the following safety protocols:
- Eisenhower Park is closed from 6:30 AM to approximately 6:00 PM. Police will reopen the area once fans have left for the day.
- Spectators will have to pass through metal detectors to enter the stadium grounds.
- No bags or drones are allowed indoors or overhead.
- Parking at Eisenhower Park is limited to VIP ticket holders. Other spectators must park near the Nassau Coliseum, about a half mile away. Special drop-off and pick-up locations for rides will also be designated.
click here to watch the full safety briefing for the 2024 Cricket World Cup on Long Island.
