VMPL
New Delhi [India], October 29: As India's ongoing T20I series against New Zealand gets underway in Christchurch, Lokesh Sharma, Founder & MD of Twenty First Century Media, reflects on what makes this bilateral contest, and this country - special. The early exchanges in the stands, he notes, set a tone worth remarking upon. Both teams received equally enthusiastic cheers, with great bonhomie, laughter and clean fun. Everyone wanted their side to win, yet there was room to applaud the opposition and enjoy the occasion together.
Lokesh Sharma, who was present at Hagley Oval for the series, found New Zealanders' simplicity and lack of fuss refreshing. Diana Puketapu-Lyndon, chair of New Zealand Cricket, and its president, former international Mark Greatbatch, hosted him for dinner. At Hagley Oval, they joined the queue like everyone else, went through the entry process and received their wristbands for admission and hospitality. There was no fuss about their positions or expectation of special treatment.
There was another telling example after the series launch at Victoria Square. New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson hopped onto a Lime scooter and made his way home like any other person. Sharma notes that these small moments say much about a country where sporting achievement can coexist comfortably with an ordinary life.
Why New Zealand Punches Above Its Weight
This is a historic year for the relationship. The free trade agreement signed in April and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's July visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in four decades, have given fresh momentum to a friendship that sport helped nurture long before trade occupied centre stage.
New Zealand's sporting achievements are extraordinary for its size. At the Paris Olympics alone, it won ten gold medals. Its population is approximately 54 lakhs, less than a quarter of Delhi's projected 2.27 crore. That works out to roughly one Paris gold for every 5.4 lakh inhabitants. From rugby and rowing to sailing, athletics and cricket, sport is woven into everyday life. As Sharma observes, even at the DP World India Golf Championship, New Zealander Daniel Hillier finished runner-up, ahead of world number one Rory McIlroy — a reminder of how consistently this small nation punches above its weight on the world stage.
From Pataudi to Gambhir: Moments That Shaped the Contest
For Indian cricket, New Zealand occupies a special place. In 1968, under Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's leadership, India won its first overseas Test at Dunedin and its first overseas Test series, 3 - 1. Tiger's team established that India could win away from home, giving subsequent generations something to build upon.
The rivalry has since produced performances that remain vivid in Indian cricket's memory. Erapalli Prasanna's eight for 76 at Auckland in 1976 spun India to victory. Later came the era of Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee, two magnificent all-rounders whose contrasting styles, Kapil's exuberance and instinct, Hadlee's precision and control — enriched the contest.
India's later successes reflected different forms of resilience. At Hamilton in 1999, Rahul Dravid answered questions about his place and scoring rate with 190 and an unbeaten 103, followed days later by an unbeaten 123 from 123 balls in the opening ODI at Taupo. A decade later at Napier, Gautam Gambhir followed on and batted for almost 11 hours, facing 436 balls for 137. His marathon helped save the Test and preserve India's series lead on the way to their first Test series victory in New Zealand since 1968.
New Zealand, meanwhile, has produced an equally distinguished lineage: Glenn Turner, John Wright, Hadlee, Stephen Fleming and Kane Williamson. Wright later became India's first foreign coach, turning sporting familiarity into a deeper partnership. These were formidable competitors whose appeal extended beyond their ability.
Lord’s 2019: Losing With Dignity
That spirit was most visible at Lord's in the 2019 World Cup final. After a deflection off Ben Stokes's bat sent the ball to the boundary, England received six runs, though former elite umpire Simon Taufel later explained that five should have been awarded. The match and Super Over both ended level, and England won on boundary count. New Zealand had every reason to feel desperately unfortunate, yet Williamson's team accepted the result with remarkable dignity and was subsequently recognised with the MCC's Spirit of Cricket award. Lokesh Sharma, the Founder and MD of TCM Sports notes that the friendly exchanges at the current series evoke the same capacity to care deeply about winning while respecting the game and its opponents.
Come for the Cricket, Stay for the Country
On his first visit in 2016, Sharma was struck by the country's peacefulness. On some domestic journeys, one could walk towards the aircraft without the familiar scanner routine. Since the Christchurch Mosque shootings on 15 March 2019, when a gunman attacked the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre, killing 51 people, security has become more visible — but still not excessive.
There is, however, nothing casual about protecting nature. Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag discovered this in 2002, when each was fined NZ$200 for undeclared dirty footwear on arrival in Auckland. Soil carried on shoes could introduce unwanted pests or disease. Even celebrated cricketers received no exemption from the responsibility to protect the country's environment.
New Zealand's identity also draws deeply on Māori culture. Recognised as tangata whenua, the indigenous people, Māori have a distinctive Treaty relationship, and their language and traditions remain visible in national life. Historical injustices and inequalities persist, but their cultural presence is integral to the country's character.
Mountains, lakes, vineyards, open skies and welcoming people make a cricket tour here far more than a succession of matches. As Sharma puts it, the contest can be intense, the cheering wholehearted, and the pleasure shared — and the current series has offered a timely reminder of exactly that.
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