New Zealand and India celebrate 100 years of sporting ties

New Zealand and India are celebrating 100 years of sporting ties through a series of major athletic and digital competitions.

In the realm of esports, the New Zealand E Blacks will face India in their first esports test match on October 25 at the Armageddon Expo in Auckland. The competition will feature titles including Clash Royale, eFootball, and Tekken. This event is part of the ‘100 Years of Unity through Sport’ celebrations, marking a century of connection that began with an Indian Army hockey tour in 1926.

Simultaneously, India is preparing for a major cricket tour of New Zealand scheduled from October 22 to December 1, 2026. The tour, described as the largest bilateral series New Zealand has ever hosted, will consist of five T20Is, five ODIs, and two Test matches played across five cities. The Indian selection committee, led by Pragyan Ojha, is expected to finalize squads next week. While Shubman Gill is expected to remain captain, the management may rest key fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj during white-ball matches to manage workloads for the Test series.