Last Updated on 1 hour ago by Charbel Coorey
Eden Park is set to be packed on Friday night when almost 40,000 fans will watch the fourth T20I between New Zealand and India in Auckland. The match is officially a sell-out in what has been a very successful T20I series to date.
The first two games at Hagley Oval were also sell-outs, while the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday has also seen strong ticket sales.
Friday’s game will set a New Zealand Cricket record for attendance for a bilateral series match. The current record stands at 36,523, set at Eden Park at the 2019 doubleheader between the Black Caps, White Ferns and India.
The anticipated crowd will also make it the third-largest international cricket attendance at Eden Park. The biggest was in 1982 when 42,000 people watched New Zealand beat Australia by 46 runs in an ODI. The second highest was at the 2015 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup semi final, when some 41,000 fans witnessed Grant Elliott hit the winning six against South Africa.
The India Tour of New Zealand till now has sold over 126,000 tickets. Of those, about 71,000 tickets have been sold for the five-match T20I series.
Glenn Critchley predicts Eden Park will host a night to remember
“The full house at Eden Park underlines the massive interest in the series and we expect Friday’s match to be another special occasion for fans,” said NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley.
“We were hoping for big crowds but this response has exceeded our expectations and selling out Eden Park is really the cherry on top.
“Friday night has all the makings of a memorable occasion, a bumper crowd, a host of superstars on show and hopefully an evening to remember for fans of both sides.
“Many fans will no doubt remember the scenes of Grant Elliott’s six in the World Cup semi-final back in 2015 and we hope fans are treated to similar entertainment at Eden Park on Friday night,” he added.
India are aiming to take a 4-0 series lead after winning the first three matches in Christchurch and Wellington.
