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ISSUE
Friday, October 9, 2026
Volume 17 . Issue 40
Cricket fans will have the chance to meet the BLACKCAPS at a free public event in Christchurch on Wednesday, October 21, ahead of New Zealand’s opening T20 International (T20I) against India.
The event will take place at Victoria Square from 4pm, featuring a team signing session, food trucks, entertainment, giveaways and the ANZ Bat Zone augmented reality cricket simulator.
New Zealand Cricket Head of Marketing Tim Ellis said the Christchurch event would give supporters an opportunity to meet the team before the series begins.
“The welcome at Victoria Square is a rare opportunity for our fans to get up close and personal with the entire BLACKCAPS team and wish them well for what is going to be an incredible tour
“Everything is pointing to this tour being a watershed moment for the game of cricket in this country and we want to ensure our public are able to experience the energy and excitement first-hand, either at the games or at our community activations such as the launch event."
“This tour has obviously been the focal point of our efforts for months now,” Ellis said.
Organised in partnership with Ōtautahi Christchurch, ANZ and Sport NZ, the event will mark the start of the Hero VIDA T20I series, Powered by AI+ Nova Smartphone, and celebrate 100 years of sporting ties between New Zealand and India.
New Zealand Cricket expects about 170,000 fans to attend matches across the country during the month-and-a-half-long India tour. The 12-match series, comprising five T20Is, five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Tests, is the largest bilateral tour hosted by New Zealand Cricket.
New Zealand Cricket has also introduced augmented reality cricket experiences at venues around the country as part of its investment in match-day entertainment for the India tour.
The teams' sporting connection will also be recognised through a limited-edition BLACKCAPS Kotahitanga ODI jersey, designed collaboratively by Māori designer Ben Thomason and New Zealand-Indian designers Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha, both from Gujarat. The shirt reflects the cultures of New Zealand and India.
“To now be only seven days away from the launch event in Ōtautahi Christchurch, we just can’t wait for the cricket to start and for New Zealanders to enjoy what will be an incredible spectacle," Ellis shared.
“It’s even more special for the tour to coincide with 100 years of sporting unity between New Zealand and India, so bring on the cricket!”
The opening match of the T20I series will be played at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval at 8pm on Thursday, October 22. New Zealand Cricket said a sell-out was expected to be confirmed in the days leading up to the match.
Cricket fans will have the chance to meet the BLACKCAPS at a free public event in Christchurch on Wednesday, October 21, ahead of New Zealand’s opening T20 International (T20I) against India.The event will take place at Victoria Square from 4pm, featuring a team signing session, food trucks,...
Cricket fans will have the chance to meet the BLACKCAPS at a free public event in Christchurch on Wednesday, October 21, ahead of New Zealand’s opening T20 International (T20I) against India.
The event will take place at Victoria Square from 4pm, featuring a team signing session, food trucks, entertainment, giveaways and the ANZ Bat Zone augmented reality cricket simulator.
New Zealand Cricket Head of Marketing Tim Ellis said the Christchurch event would give supporters an opportunity to meet the team before the series begins.
“The welcome at Victoria Square is a rare opportunity for our fans to get up close and personal with the entire BLACKCAPS team and wish them well for what is going to be an incredible tour
“Everything is pointing to this tour being a watershed moment for the game of cricket in this country and we want to ensure our public are able to experience the energy and excitement first-hand, either at the games or at our community activations such as the launch event."
“This tour has obviously been the focal point of our efforts for months now,” Ellis said.
Organised in partnership with Ōtautahi Christchurch, ANZ and Sport NZ, the event will mark the start of the Hero VIDA T20I series, Powered by AI+ Nova Smartphone, and celebrate 100 years of sporting ties between New Zealand and India.
New Zealand Cricket expects about 170,000 fans to attend matches across the country during the month-and-a-half-long India tour. The 12-match series, comprising five T20Is, five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Tests, is the largest bilateral tour hosted by New Zealand Cricket.
New Zealand Cricket has also introduced augmented reality cricket experiences at venues around the country as part of its investment in match-day entertainment for the India tour.
The teams' sporting connection will also be recognised through a limited-edition BLACKCAPS Kotahitanga ODI jersey, designed collaboratively by Māori designer Ben Thomason and New Zealand-Indian designers Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha, both from Gujarat. The shirt reflects the cultures of New Zealand and India.
“To now be only seven days away from the launch event in Ōtautahi Christchurch, we just can’t wait for the cricket to start and for New Zealanders to enjoy what will be an incredible spectacle," Ellis shared.
“It’s even more special for the tour to coincide with 100 years of sporting unity between New Zealand and India, so bring on the cricket!”
The opening match of the T20I series will be played at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval at 8pm on Thursday, October 22. New Zealand Cricket said a sell-out was expected to be confirmed in the days leading up to the match.
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