Why New Zealand players are wearing black armbands in 2nd T20I against India?
New Zealand players were seen wearing black armbands during the second T20I against India. Here’s the reason behind the gesture and what it signifies in international cricket.
Last Updated: 08.18 PM, Jan 23, 2026
The New Zealand cricket team was spotted wearing black armbands in the ongoing T20I match against India at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur. After the speculations started floating and fans started noticing, former cricketer-turned commentator Ian Smith revealed that the Kiwis are wearing the armbands to show solidarity for the residents who lost their lives in the recent landlsides that happened in New Zealand.
Reports suggest that the natural calamity took away the lives of innocent people and hence, the New Zealand players wanted to extend their support towards their family members. They will wear the armbands for the rest of the match.
In the match, India won the toss and forced New Zealand to bat first. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav was quite happy with the performance in the first game where India posted 238 runs in the first innings. The home team won the game by 48 runs, thanks to Abhishek Sharma's 84-run knock.
We are always learning: Suryakumar Yadav
India's skipper Suryakumar Yadav spoke about the team's balance and how they are learning during each match. The player opened up about the pitch conditions as well. India will play the second game in Raipur where dew is expected during the second innings. Hence, winning the toss was extremely crucial for the team.
"I think it (the pitch) looks good. I think it's the same wicket they said, which was used for the ODI series. I think we play every game, we try and improve on all the aspects. We never get perfect. We are always learning. But yeah, we look to do the same things again. We try and do the same thing in the bowling department, fielding and batting," said Suryakumar Yadav.
Where to watch IND vs NZ T20I matches?
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs New Zealand T20I matches from January 21 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.