Why New Zealand Players are Wearing Black Armbands in IND vs NZ 2nd T20I?

The Indian cricket team takes on New Zealand in the second T20I match on January 23 in Raipur. It was Suryakumar Yadav who won the toss and invited the Kiwis to bat first. The first game went in favor of the Men in Blue as they thrashed their opponents by a big margin of 48 runs.

During the IND vs NZ 2nd T20I, New Zealand started in a brisk fashion. But what caught the attention was their players wearing black armbands. The viewers wondered why NZ players chose to wear them, a doubt that was cleared by the commentator Ian Smith.

Why Are New Zealand Players Wearing Black Armbands Against India?

With several speculations circulating, commentator and former cricketer Ian Smith clarified the reason behind the use of NZ players black armbands during this match. According to the reports, there was a massive landslide which happened in New Zealand a few days back during which several innocent people lost their lives.

Hence, to pay the tribute for the tragic death of the residents during the natural calamity, New Zealand players are wearing black armbands in this match. It was a great gesture by NZ cricketers to show solidarity towards their residents in their own way. The IND vs NZ black armbands was a major point of discussion among the fans on social media.

Boards and players regularly use on-field gestures like black armbands in cricket or moments of silence to acknowledge loss, ensuring that the individual being remembered is honoured on the sport’s biggest stages. Meanwhile, New Zealand will eye on making a comeback after losing the first game.

New Zealand Put Mammoth Score on the Board

Batting first on an excellent pitch for batting, the Kiwis went on to score 204-6 in 20 overs. At one point, it seemed like the score would go much higher. However, the Indian bowlers were excellent during the middle overs to bring the opposition down.

Interestingly, none of the NZ batters scored a half-century with Rachin Ravindra top-scoring with a fine 44 off 26 balls. With this batting line-up consisting of some of the most dangerous batsmen in the world, New Zealand will be favorites to score big runs during the T20 World Cup 2026.