Photo Credit: New Zealand Cricket
Double-headers, a Test series against England, the return of the Rose Bowl, and everything on free-to-air TV: these are some of the highlights of another exciting 2024-25 home international summer of cricket in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The programme starts with the BLACKCAPS’ much-anticipated three match Test series against England before Christmas, ends with the WHITE FERNS hosting Australia’s T20I side in late March, and in between includes visits from the Australia women’s ODI team, Sri Lanka men and women, and the Pakistan men’s side – potentially 41 days of international cricket in eight different cities, all of which will be broadcast free-to-air and live on TVNZ 1, TVNZ DUKE and TVNZ+.
The BLACKCAPS will fly to Pakistan in February for a tri-series against the hosts and South Africa before starting their ICC Champions Trophy campaign, ahead of returning home for five T20Is and three ODIs against Pakistan in March.
Demand for tickets for the Test matches against England at Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton, respectively, has been strong, with NZC opting to announce venues for this specific series back in April to assist overseas fans making travel arrangements.
This increased interest in international cricket flows off the back of last season’s strong attendances, when ticket allocation for seven of the eight pre-sold days to the Australia Test series was exhausted, four out of five Pakistan T20Is were sold out, and the Australian men’s T20 series also drew big crowds.
With several short-form games being played around the country’s holiday hot-spots in the New Year’s period, including Mt Maunganui and Nelson, and a Friday night T20I double header at Eden Park in March, interest is expected to remain high.
The WHITE FERNS will play a three-match Rose Bowl ODI series against Australia at the Cello Basin Reserve in the week before Christmas, and will later host a multi-format tour by Sri Lanka in March, immediately ahead of a three-game T20Is series against the No.1 ranked Australians.
Their last five T20Is will be played as double-headers alongside BLACKCAPS-Pakistan T20Is.
Tickets for all home internationals will go on sale in September and fans are encouraged to get in quickly to avoid disappointment, especially in terms of the three Tests.
Joining NZC’s Cricket Nation members’ club will allow subscribers to purchase tickets in a pre-sale window before they’re opened up for public consumption.
NZC’s GM of Marketing and Communications, Stacey Geraghty, said if the trend from last summer continues, fans might need to change their last-minute purchasing routine and buy tickets early.
“We saw some significant changes in the way people consumed international cricket last year,” said Ms Geraghty.
“Not only were the Tests and the bigger white ball fixtures selling out, but we were receiving more engagement from younger fans, those in the 16-34 age bracket.
“There was a buzz we hadn’t felt for a while and we’re feeling it again as we approach the 2024-25 summer. The extra exposure we’re receiving from having cricket broadcast live and free-to-air is making a genuine difference on the ground.”
The BLACKCAPS have a full schedule of offshore cricket in their immediate future, including six Tests and a six-match, white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, before returning home for the Test series against England.
The WHITE FERNS also continue their busy winter schedule, with a three-game T20I series in Australia in mid-September, followed by the ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh (September-October) and a multi-format tour of India in the back half of October.
