Explained: Why New Zealand players are wearing black armbands in 2nd T20I vs India ~ PARN HARIT

India are currently taking on New Zealand in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. As the two sets of players walked out to the ground, it was quite clearly visible that the New Zealand side, led by their captain, Mitchell Santner, wear wearing black armbands. The Indian team however was not wearing any such armbands. This gesture from the Kiwis was for a noble cause as it was symbol of solidarity for the people of their country.

The New Zealand players are wearing black armbands in solidarity for the people affected in the incessant rainfall and landslides that have affected the south of the island of New Zealand. Record-breaking rainfall caused a landslide at a campsite in Mount Maunganui on January 22 (Thursday).

Two People Killed, Several Missing In New Zealand

Reports have stated that two people have been killed in the landslide caused due to heavy rain and flooding over the past few days. Several people are still missing as helicopter teams are working round the clock to continue their rescue work. State of Emergency has been declared in five regions across Northland and East Cape due to the dangerous weather conditions.

New Zealand emergency minister Mark Mitchell told reporters that parts of the East Coast resembled "a war zone", with several campvans overturned and trees uprooted.

Tauranga, which is the closest major city to Mount Maunganui, saw a whopping 295mm of rainfall in the 30 hours before the landslide hit. Other areas have also been affected, with homes and farmland flooded.

ALSO READ: Why Jasprit Bumrah And Axar Patel Did Not Play 2nd T20I

New Zealand Put On 208 On The Board

India won the toss and elected to bowl first. New Zealand played a good innings, putting 208 runs on the board. Almost every Kiwi batter contributed in the innings. It was Mitchell Santner who top scored with 47 runs, while Rachin Ravindra played a knock of 44.

Chasing 209 to win, India have made it a very easy run chase, despite losing two wickets early. Half centuries from Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav have edged India close to their second win in the series in as many games.

In the 2nd T20I against India (held on January 23, 2026, in Raipur), the New Zealand players wore black armbands as a mark of respect and solidarity for the victims of devastating storms and landslides that hit their home country earlier this week.

Here are the key details surrounding the tribute:

The Tragedy in New Zealand

The Event: Severe weather, including record-breaking rainfall, caused catastrophic flooding and landslides across New Zealand’s upper North Island on Thursday, January 22.
Specific Incident: A major landslide struck a campsite in Mount Maunganui, claiming at least two lives and leaving several others missing.
The Impact: A state of emergency was declared in five regions (including Northland and East Cape). New Zealand’s Emergency Management Minister described parts of the affected coast as resembling a "war zone."

The Tribute on the Field

The Gesture: As the Black Caps walked out to bat first in Raipur, openers Devon Conway and Tim Seifert were seen wearing the bands, a gesture followed by the entire team.
The Significance: In international cricket, black armbands are a traditional way for a team to mourn a national tragedy or the passing of a prominent figure. Commentators, including former Kiwi cricketer Ian Smith, confirmed during the broadcast that the team was honoring those lost in the landslides.

Match Context

While the team played with heavy hearts, the match itself was a high-scoring thriller:

NZ Score: 208/6 (Mitchell Santner 47*, Rachin Ravindra 44)
India Score: 209/3 (Suryakumar Yadav 82, Ishan Kishan 76)
Result: India won by 7 wickets, taking a 2-0 lead in the 5-match series.

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PARN HARIT