When the first sod of the new Bay Oval was turned on the 1st March 2005, Twenty 20 Cricket was seen in New Zealand as a light-hearted, entertaining spectacle rather than a serious sport.
 
The games were often described as ‘carnival’ or ‘hit and giggle’ cricket. This was reinforced by the first T20 International between New Zealand and Australia, played on 17 February 2005 at Eden Park, where players wore retro 1980’s uniforms along with imitation wigs and moustaches.
 
Today, on the eve of the ICC T20I World Cup, to be played in India and Sri Lanka, the T20 world cup trophy is one of the most highly sought-after prizes in world cricket.
 
The Bay Oval will sign off its 2025-26 international season commitments, with a double header T20I between the WHITE FERNS and the BLACKCAPS and their South African counterparts, on Sunday 15th March 2026, kicking off at 2.45 pm.
 
South Africa will conclude the busiest season of international cricket that the Bay Oval has hosted. Australia paid a visit to Blake Park for the first time in a three-match stand-alone T20I series. England were solidly defeated in their  November ODI while the BLACKCAPS rewrote the record book in their test match win over the West Indies.
 
T20 has revolutionised cricket in little over two decades, putting to rest the critics' cries that the game would never resonate with old-fashioned fans. What it has achieved is a brand new, younger audience fan base who lap up the pulsating twenty-over-per-side action.
 
New Zealand Cricket has recognised the Bay Oval's central location to the biggest population base in the country, with 18 T20I encounters allocated to Mount Maunganui since the Black Caps played Sri Lanka ten years ago.
 
New Zealand won four straight before two successive losses to Pakistan and India. November 2022 saw Indian T20 firepower at its best when they posted 191/6 before bowling the hosts out for a modest 126. SA Yadav was in outstanding form in blasting the ground's biggest T20I highest score of 111 not out.
 
The BLACKCAPS went on a four-match winning streak against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, before Australia arrived at the Bay Oval for the first time, to contest a three-game T20 series.
 
Game one saw the home side post 181/6, with Tim Robinson belting an unbeaten 106 runs, before the Aussies got home with six wickets to spare.
 
New Zealand had a chance to square the series in the last encounter after match two was washed out. Mitch Marsh ensured the winning trophy returned across the Tasman, with 103 not out, as Australia squeezed home to a three-wicket win.

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The two New Zealand sides are sure to want to be on the right side of the ledger to continue their strong international performances at the Bay Oval.

T20I at Bay Oval 15th March 2026

WHITE FERNS v South Africa Women – 2.45 pm
BLACKCAPS v South Africa – 7.15 pm

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Find tickets here