To commemorate 100 years of sporting ties between New Zealand and India the BLACKCAPS will wear a special playing shirt for the upcoming Hero VIDA ODI series, Powered by AI+ Nova Smartphone.
The limited-edition BLACKCAPS Kotahitanga ODI Shirt represents two cultures bound together by their love for cricket with a design that celebrates the shared history and respect between New Zealand and India.
Artists Ben Thomason (Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga), Shiv Narandas (Gujarat), and Jai Pancha (Gujarat), collaborated on the shirt design which represents and intertwines both nation’s cultures.
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.
NZC Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley said that the shirt celebrated the power of sport in connecting cultures.
“We’re absolutely wrapped with the design,” he said.
“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.”
Thomason said kotahitanga was the guiding principle of the shirt’s design.
“The brief said unity and I think the design encompasses that wholeheartedly,” he said.
Narandas, whose family hails from India, said it was a meaningful project to work on.
“This shirt feels like a journey of our life here,” said Narandas.
“I hope that everyone can feel the energy that’s been put into this project and they can wear the shirt with pride.”
Fans can purchase the limited-edition BLACKCAPS Kotahitanga ODI shirt online at store.nzc.nz and in-store at selected Rebel Sport NZ stores and all other good retailers.
The Hero VIDA India tour of New Zealand, Powered by AI+ Nova Smartphone gets underway on October 22.