Wellington, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s much-anticipated return to New Zealand has generated strong interest among cricket fans, with more than 50,000 tickets already sold for the upcoming international home summer, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said.
Ticket sales opened to the general public on Monday following a two-week pre-sale period for Cricket Nation members, Sky customers and ANZ customers.
Several matches featuring India are already approaching a sell-out. The second T20I in Christchurch has crossed 75 per cent in ticket sales, highlighting the strong demand for the tour.
India will visit New Zealand for the first time in six years, with the two teams scheduled to play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests from October 22.
The demand has been particularly strong for the T20I fixtures. At Eden Park, the response has prompted NZC to open the stadium’s sixth tier of seating for the first time since India’s 2019 tour. The additional seating will be available for the fourth T20I on October 30.
The sixth tier has been opened only a handful of times in recent years, including during the 2015 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and a New Zealand-Australia men’s T20I in 2018.
The surge in interest comes after India and New Zealand met in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final earlier this year, adding further anticipation to the upcoming series.
NZC Head of Marketing Tim Ellis said the demand reflected the growing excitement around India’s return.
“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,” Ellis said in an official statement.
He also highlighted the response in Christchurch, where the second T20I has already surpassed the 75 per cent mark in ticket sales.
“Matches at Hagley Oval have always been well attended, but to have one of them over three-quarters sold already is quite remarkable,” Ellis said.
Ellis added that NZC was planning a range of activities around the tour, including match-day activations aimed at enhancing the experience for supporters of all ages.
The India tour will open New Zealand’s international home summer, which will be followed by a visit from the Bangladesh women’s team in December.
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