A big crowd is expected at Eden Park on Friday. About 40,000 fans will fill the ground for the fourth India vs New Zealand T20I. That would make it the third-largest crowd ever at the Auckland venue. The match is already sold out.
India has been dominant in the five-match series. They won the first three games and lead 3-0. That means they have already won the series. All three previous matches also had sell-out crowds. The third game in Wellington was a huge win for India. They chased down 199 in just 13.2 overs. Abhishek Sharma hit 113 off 38 balls. He smashed nine fours and 11 sixes. Teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi helped him. The two put on 133 runs for the first wicket.
New Zealand Cricket said over 40,000 fans will come to Eden Park. The sold-out sign is officially up. This is the fourth sell-out of the series. The first two games at Hagley Oval were full. The final game at Seddon Park on Sunday is also sold out.
The Eden Park crowd will break New Zealand Cricket’s record for a bilateral series match. The old record was 36,523. That was set in 2019 at a doubleheader between the Blackcaps and White Ferns against India at Eden Park. Only two crowds at Eden Park have been bigger for an international cricket match. The first was the 2015 World Cup semi-final. Grant Elliott hit the winning six as New Zealand beat South Africa in front of 41,000 fans.
Ticket sales for the whole tour have been strong. Over 126,000 tickets have been sold for India’s tour of New Zealand. Of those, 71,000 are for the T20I series alone.
Glenn Critchley is New Zealand Cricket’s Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer. He said the response has been better than expected. He said there is nothing like a full house at Eden Park. Breaking the bilateral series attendance record shows how much people want to see this series. He said they hoped for big crowds but this has gone past their hopes.
Selling out Eden Park is the cherry on top. He said Friday night has all the ingredients for a memorable event. There will be a huge crowd and many superstar players. He hopes fans of both teams have a night to remember. He said many fans will remember Grant Elliott’s six in the 2015 World Cup semi-final. He hopes fans get similar entertainment on Friday night.
What Happened in the India vs New Zealand 3rd T20I?
India won the 3rd IND vs NZ T20I in Wellington. They chased 199 and got there in 13.2 overs for a six-wicket win. Abhishek led the way with 113 off 38 balls. The win gave India a 3-0 lead, so they sealed the five-match series.
New Zealand batted first and made 198/3. Daryl Mitchell was the star for the hosts with 89 not out off 52 balls. Finn Allen hit 40 off 25 balls. Bevon Jacobs finished 39 not out. The two put on an unbroken 75-run stand for the fourth wicket. Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy each took one wicket. India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to field.
Vaibhav and Abhishek came out swinging for India. They reached 50 in just 2.2 overs. That is the fastest team fifty in men’s T20I history. They finished the powerplay on 118/0. That is the highest powerplay score ever in men’s T20Is. Romania had the old record with 116/0 against Serbia in 2021. Australia had the best mark among full-member nations with 113/1 against Scotland in 2024.
Sooryavanshi made 45 off 19 balls, with four fours and four sixes. He fell in the eighth over with the score at 133. Abhishek kept going. He reached his hundred off 35 balls. That is the joint second-fastest T20I century by an Indian. He finished with 113 off 38 balls. He hit nine fours and 11 sixes. He fell with India at 178/2 after 10 overs. India needed just 21 more runs then. India got home in 13.2 overs with 40 balls to spare.
The fourth match is in Auckland on Friday.
FAQs
Q. When is the fourth India vs New Zealand T20I?
A. The fourth T20I is scheduled for Friday at Eden Park in Auckland.
Q. How many fans are expected at Eden Park?
A. Around 40,000 fans are expected to attend the sold-out match.
Q. What is India’s lead in the T20I series?
A. India lead the five-match series 3-0 after winning the first three games.
Q. Who scored a century in the third T20I?
A. Abhishek Sharma scored 113 runs off 38 balls against New Zealand.
Q. How many runs did India need to chase in the third T20I?
A. India chased New Zealand’s total of 198/3 to win by six wickets.
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