The Mets were playing the Phillies in Stratford, east London, as the former’s ballpark in Queens, New York, hosted thousands of fans for a big-screen watch party. Not for the baseball, but the cricket taking place a half-hour drive away at Eisenhower Park. As part of this surreal role reversal, India’s match against Pakistan began with rain delaying the toss of a coin. Yes, America, this is the game we’re trying to sell you.
Four World Cup fixtures had graced this venue over the week, but this marquee contest was what the US leg of the tournament had been centred around, offering a number of guarantees to the International Cricket Council: serious crowd numbers, a diaspora served, fine timing for the subcontinental television audience and, with all that, a wonderful sound for the suits: cha-ching.
