Rohit Sharma Lauds US Immigration's Efficiency Before India's T20 World Cup 2024 Opener

IND vs IRE: Cricket is gaining popularity in the United States, according to India captain Rohit Sharma. He will lead the team in their first match of the tournament on Wednesday, June 5, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

Rohit Sharma highlighted this growing interest by noting that US immigration took just 10 minutes to complete their formalities when they landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. This swift process is considered "rare" by Sharma, given the security agency's reputation for strict protocols. Even Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has experienced long waits at the airport.

"We never thought cricket in America would be played at any given stage. But now that we are here, it's a different feeling, right? From the time you arrived in New York, spending only 10 minutes at immigration, which is very rare, doesn't happen," said the 37-year-old when asked if staging the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA would help cricket grow there.

"So you can make out that the buzz is there. Even the locals here are quite intrigued by a cricket tournament happening, a world cup happening here. We go to cafes and all, and there are a lot of locals who come there and wish us the best. We've been to Florida, but this is different. All of us who are playing here will try to leave a mark on this city and the people of the US as well," Sharma added.

The security forces in New York are also on alert for the India vs Pakistan match on June 9. Given the magnitude of spectators expected for this high-octane clash between arch-rivals, police officials are set to deploy the "biggest and tightest" security in the city.