Black Caps hit-out at Mount Maunganui beach sure to wow fans ahead of Bay Oval T20 matches against Bangladesh

Some of the Black Caps squad will be down at the Mount Maunganui's main beach near Leisure Island on December 28 for a game of beach cricket ahead of two T20 matches against Bangladesh at the Bay Oval. Photo /NZ Cricket

Members of the Black Caps are preparing to bowl over their fans during a beach cricket game down at the main beach in Mount Maunganui.

The fun training session on the sand near Leisure Island from 2pm on Thursday, December 28 will give fans a unique chance to test their prowess against some of their heroes in the Black Caps squad including Ish Sodhi, Glenn Phillips and Ben Sears.

The beach cricket event which has always proved popular with younger fans will be followed by a photograph and autograph session with the players, NZ Cricket said.

The special beach cricket event is part of the ‘Summer of More’ series of events leading up to the New Year as the Black Caps and Bangladesh teams prepared to face off in two more T20 internationals at Bay Oval on December 29 and New Year’s Eve.

The first T20 international between the two teams is being held in Napier from 7pm on December 27.

Despite Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson and fast bowler Kyle Jamieson’s unavailability following medical advice, there are still plenty of talented Black Caps and visiting Bangladesh players to keep a close eye on during the two T20 matches.

A New Zealand Cricket spokesman said fans can catch a glimpse of rising Black Caps star Rachin Ravindra following his “incredible ICC Cricket World Cup” alongside batting powerhouses Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips.

The December 29 nighttime duel which begins at 7pm under lights promised “to be a party with DJs, flame-throwers and a lights show” sure to wow the fans, the NZ cricket spokesman told the Bay of Plenty Times.

And from 1pm on New Year’s Eve, the third T20 international match in the series at the Bay Oval is sure to be another major hit with families with strong ticket sales indicating a bumper crowd to see off 2023, the spokesman said.

“With the Black Caps side building up towards the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June, the experienced heads of Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi and captain Mitchell Santner will be prominent as the ‘Black Caps show’ rolls into the Bay of Plenty.”

Santner steps into the captaincy role in Williamson’s absence, having previously led the team on 14 occasions in international cricket.

The Bangladesh side know all about upsets at the Mount after beating the Black Caps in their last encounter at the Bay Oval in the final Test of 2021.

“The Tigers boast several world-class talents in the form of Mustafizur ‘The Fizz’ Rahman, Litton Das and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, along with clever spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz,” NZ Cricket said.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Litton Das, Rony Talukdar, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Tickets for both T20 internationals are on sale now at tickets.nzc.nz. with some of the great ticket sale offers.