T20 World Cup 2024: USA staff teaches bowling to South African legend Dale Steyn without recognising him| Watch Video
Cricket is steadily attempting to gain a foothold in the United States, but a recent incident involving bowling legend Dale Steyn underscores the significant challenge the sport faces in this new market. This incident highlights the considerable work the International Cricket Council (ICC) still has ahead to popularize cricket in the USA.
The ICC has made several bold moves in recent years to penetrate the American market. The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024, hosted jointly by the USA and the Caribbean, is a major step in this direction. There is a lot of optimism that this event will help establish cricket in the country. However, the recent episode with Dale Steyn suggests that the ICC¡¯s efforts will need to continue vigorously.
The incident in question involved a T20 World Cup staff member who did not recognize Dale Steyn when the South African legend offered some bowling tips. The staff member, unaware of Steyn¡¯s illustrious career, proceeded to explain the rules of bowling to him. Steyn, known for his sportsmanship, played along and listened patiently before giving bowling a try.
The staff member further advised Steyn not to bend his elbow while bowling and to ensure the ball bounces once before reaching the stumps. This amusing encounter underscores the level of awareness (or lack thereof) about cricket in the USA.
Dale Steyn is one of cricket¡¯s most successful fast bowlers, having represented South Africa in all three formats of the game. Over his career, he played 93 Tests, 125 ODIs, and 47 T20Is, amassing a total of 699 wickets.
Meanwhile, the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which kicked off last week with 20 teams divided into four groups of five, has had a rocky start. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 8s stage. However, the tournament has been met with lukewarm enthusiasm, partly due to rain-affected matches and concerns over pitch quality.
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Fans have also expressed frustration over high ticket prices, especially for India¡¯s matches. Tickets for the India vs. Ireland opener started at $150, with VIP seats exceeding $1,000. For the marquee India vs. Pakistan match, ticket prices ranged from $300 to $10,000. These prices, equivalent to Rs 2 lakh - Rs 8.34 lakh, are much higher than those for the ODI World Cup 2023, where the cheapest tickets for the India vs. Pakistan game were Rs 500.
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