New Zealand cricketers to wear new ODI jersey in celebration of 100 years of sporting ties with India

New Zealand cricketers will wear a unique limited-edition jersey when they line up against India in the first ODI on November 4. A new jersey, celebrating 100 years of sporting ties between the two nations, has been unveiled. Three artists — two of Indian origin (Shiv Narandas and Jai Pancha) and one from New Zealand (Ben Thomason) — have worked on the shirt design in tandem, highlighting the cultural heritage of both countries.

“Thomason weaved Māori kōwhaiwhai patterns over a background of haehae lines to connect the living with those who have passed, honour the people who built the bond between the nations, and celebrate what it means to players, fans and those behind the scenes.

“Narandas and Pancha used three Indian motifs as the unifying elements; the lotus -- India's national flower, a repeating ogee pattern drawn from Indian architecture, and the mandala to provide a symmetrical framework aligning naturally with Māori design systems,” a New Zealand Cricket media release said on Saturday.

NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley is thrilled by the jersey and is hopeful that it will be a massive hit among collectors of such things. “We’re absolutely wrapped with the design. The artists have created a beautiful balance between a distinct Māori design and a distinct Indian design that speaks to the bond between our nations. Sport underpins the unity between New Zealand and India, and we hope this shirt will be a collector’s item treasured by New Zealand and Indian cricket fans for years to come,” he said.

Full tour

India and New Zealand are playing 12 games in all over the next few weeks. The T20 world champions’ tour of the Antipodean nation starts with five 20-overs games, the first of which will be played on October 22 at Christchurch. After the T20I series, the five-ODI series will start on November 4, following which two Test matches will be played.