More than 50,000 tickets have now been sold for New Zealand Cricket’s upcoming international home summer, with strong demand continuing just over two weeks after tickets went on sale, as reported by NZC.
According to New Zealand Cricket (NZC), ticket sales have surged following a record first week, with several matches already on track to reach capacity. The strong response highlights the growing anticipation surrounding the international summer, particularly the highly anticipated India men’s tour.
Public ticket sales opened on Monday after a two-week pre-sale period exclusively available to Cricket Nation members, Sky customers and ANZ customers. NZC said demand has remained particularly strong for matches involving India, with the second T20I against India at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval already 75% sold out.
The high level of interest has also prompted a major seating expansion at Auckland’s Eden Park. For the first time since India’s 2019 tour of New Zealand, the stadium’s sixth tier of seating has been opened to accommodate additional spectators.
According to NZC, the upper level will be available for the fourth T20I between New Zealand and India on Friday, October 30.
The opening of Eden Park’s sixth tier is a significant indication of the level of interest surrounding the series. NZC noted that, apart from the upcoming India fixture, the sixth tier has only been opened on two other occasions in recent history — during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2015 and for a men’s T20I against Australia in 2018.
The latest expansion reflects the huge anticipation surrounding the rematch between New Zealand and India, who faced each other in this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final.
NZC Head of Marketing Tim Ellis said the growing ticket sales demonstrated the excitement building around the tour.
“Being able to open up the top level of Eden Park for the first time in years is really exciting and speaks to the swell of excitement building around the tour,” he said.
Ellis also highlighted the strong response at Hagley Oval, where the second T20I against India has already attracted significant demand.
“Matches at Hagley Oval have always been well attended but to have one of them over three quarters sold already is quite remarkable.
“We’re deep into planning for a number of events surrounding the tour and have some exciting at-game activations in the works that we’re confident will deliver a great experience for fans of all ages."
According to NZC, preparations are also underway for a range of activities and fan experiences surrounding the India tour. The organisation said these at-game activations are expected to add to the overall experience for supporters attending the matches.
The international home summer will begin with the three-format blockbuster between the BLACKCAPS and India’s men’s team. The tour will then be followed by Bangladesh Women and the WHITE FERNS in December, bringing the international cricket calendar for the year towards its conclusion.
With more than 50,000 tickets already sold, NZC said demand is continuing to build, with several fixtures expected to attract large crowds. The response at Eden Park and Hagley Oval in particular underlines the strong interest in seeing India return to New Zealand and sets the stage for a highly anticipated summer of international cricket.