New Zealand unveils special ODI shirt to mark 100 years of sporting ties with India

New Zealand will wear a special Kotahitanga ODI shirt during its upcoming series against India to commemorate 100 years of sporting ties. Designed by Māori and Indian artists, the shirt blends traditional motifs to symbolise unity, shared history and cultural connections.

Auckland: New Zealand will wear a special limited-edition playing shirt during the upcoming ODI series against India to commemorate 100 years of sporting ties between the two nations.

The Blackcaps will sport the Kotahitanga ODI Shirt, which celebrates the shared history, cultural connection, and mutual respect between the two countries through a design that brings together Māori and Indian artistic traditions.

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Artists Ben Thomason (Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga), Shiv Narandas (Gujarat) and Jai Pancha (Gujarat) collaborated on the design, weaving elements from both cultures into a shirt that reflects their intertwined histories.

Thomason incorporated Māori kōwhaiwhai patterns over a background of haehae lines, connecting the living with those who have passed away while honouring the people who helped build the relationship between the two nations. The design also celebrates the significance of this bond for players, fans, and those working behind the scenes.

Narandas and Pancha introduced three Indian motifs as unifying elements: the lotus, India’s national flower; a repeating ogee pattern inspired by Indian architecture; and the mandala, which provides a symmetrical framework that aligns naturally with Māori design systems.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Glenn Critchley said the shirt highlighted the ability of sport to bring different cultures together.

“We’re absolutely wrapped with the design. 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,” he said.

Thomason said kotahitanga, which represents unity, was the guiding principle behind the design.

“The brief said unity and I think the design encompasses that wholeheartedly,” he said.

Narandas, whose family hails from India, described the project as a meaningful experience.

“This shirt feels like a journey of our life here. I hope that everyone can feel the energy that’s been put into this project and they can wear the shirt with pride,” said Narandas.

The India tour of New Zealand is scheduled to begin on October 22.