IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2024: SWAT teams and snipers for India-Pakistan match in New York

Pak demands for increased security

Pakistan has become the laughing stock of world cricket after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of hosts United States of America in the ICC T20 World Cup in Dallas. There is a palpable sense of outrage among the fans, both in Pakistan and in the USA, which obviously leads to a demand for more security measures at the venues.

As it was, the security situation in and around New York and the Nassau County region, which hosts the marquee matches, was to be beefed up. After all, the threat from Islamic State, the banned terror outfit, had to be taken seriously, especially once they said they would target the India-Pakistan match. Reports of a possible lone-wolf attack had led to the New York Police Department (NYPD) and other security agencies coming together to work on a watertight plan for Sunday’s contest.

With over 48 hours to go, the security apparatus in place for the most-hyped World Cup contest has acquired high-tech proportions. Even snipers will be deployed on rooftops around the Nassau County Stadium.

"India vs. Pakistan is like the Super Bowl on steroids,” said Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive, recently. “We had no idea how huge it was. We want to put our best foot forward.”

India versus Pakistan is never just about cricket. It serves to highlight geopolitics and conflicts in a region of great interest to the western world. “This is the largest security we’ve ever had to do in this county’s history,” said Patrick Ryder, the Nassau County Police Commissioner. “I can also guarantee you that it is the safest place to be in Nassau County on June 9.”
Ryder did not come on the record about the snipers, but images of them, with fingers on the trigger and in prone position, are already in the public domain. The men who form the sniper squad are called the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team. In addition to them, there are also likely to be helicopters patrolling the skyline.

It's not just Eisenhower Park that will be jam-packed on the day of the game. Indians and Pakistanis will watch and celebrate the match on big screens across the Tri State area. This is peak tourist season, with people flocking to the Big Apple from across the world.

We need no reminding that New York was at the heart of the heinous 9/11 terror attacks, that reduced the iconic Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre to rubble. More recently, Salman Rushdie, the Indian-born British-American writer, was stabbed in New York in August 2022. Given such a background, nothing will be left to chance on Sunday.

In exclusive arrangement with RevSportz