Photo Credit: New Zealand Cricket
New Zealand’s domestic T20 champions will be crowned in Wellington this summer as the Dream11 Super Smash presented by KFC gears up for a bumper Finals Weekend of cricket.
For the first time in the combined competition’s history, the winners will be decided at a pre-determined venue, with the Cello Basin Reserve playing host to both the men’s and women’s Elimination Finals and Grand Finals over the first weekend of February.
The Finals Weekend concludes a packed schedule released today which includes 64 T20 matches comprising of 32 men’s and women’s double-headers at 10 venues across Aotearoa – all broadcast LIVE and free-to-air on TVNZ+ and TVNZ DUKE, with the both Grand Finals also broadcast LIVE on SENZ.
So whether you’re at the beach, by the barbecue, or parked up on the bank, you can catch New Zealand’s premier T20 competition wherever the kiwi summer may take you.
The Road to the Basin begins on Boxing Day at Seddon Park as the 2024 men’s champions the Auckland ACES begin their title defence against the 2022 and 2023 back-to-back champions, the Northern Brave men.
Cricket fans in Central Otago will be treated to a feast of cricket leading into the New Year as the Sparks and Volts embark on three double-headers in six days at Alexandra’s Molyneux Park, including a New Year’s Eve showdown against the Central Hinds and Stags.
The defending champion Wellington Blaze will begin their quest for a ninth Super Smash title when they face-off against Northern Brave in a New Year’s Day special at Seddon Park.
The campaign continues on in January in tandem with the BLACKCAPS white ball series against Sri Lanka, meaning, from Boxing Day until Super Smash Finals Weekend on February 1 and 2, fans will be treated to BLACKCAPS or Super Smash cricket every single day.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, fans can expect to see the WHITE FERNS on show throughout the campaign, while the BLACKCAPS will return for their Super Smash sides in the lead in to the Finals Weekend, before departing for the ODI Tri-Series and Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
NZC GM of Venues and Events, Graham Parks said the Finals Weekend in Wellington would add a new and exciting element to the competition.
“We’ve always seen strong support for men’s and women’s Super Smash cricket at the Basin, so we’re hoping to tap in to that Capital fanbase for a big weekend of finals cricket,” said Mr Parks.
“Seeing the best men’s and women’s teams at one venue over one weekend will be a great spectacle and hosting it at an iconic venue like the Cello Basin Reserve should make it a fantastic occasion.”
NZC CEO Scott Weenink said he was looking forward to an even bigger and better summer of Super Smash cricket.
“The Dream11 Super Smash keeps on growing in popularity and it’s really exciting to see it continue to be so accessible to kiwis across the country,” said Mr Weenink.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our game to fans both new and old, while building the profiles of our domestic teams and our rising stars.
“It’s fast becoming New Zealand’s favourite summer domestic competition, and with over 1.3 million kiwis tuning in on TV alone last year, we hope to see it reach new heights this summer.”
Along with broadcasting every match live on TVNZ+ and TVNZ DUKE, TVNZ+ will also feature highlights and content from all matches, offering fans more ways to engage with the Dream11 Super Smash.
The competition’s global reach will also continue this season, as coverage continues in Australia by Foxtel , the India sub-continent by FanCode, Sub-Saharan Africa by SuperSport, the UK by TNT and the United States by ESPN+.
Tickets for all Dream11 Super Smash round-robin games go on sale today.*
*Tickets for Auckland ACES and HEARTS matches will go on sale next week, when venues are confirmed.
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The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.
