New Zealand’s 3-0 win over India nominated for best sporting moment at Halberg Awards

In addition to New Zealand whitewashing India the favourite moment from 2024 also includes the women’s cricket team winning the T20 World Cup in UAE.

Why are these moments significant

Before October 16, 2024, the New Zealand men’s cricket team had won just two matches in India. Before October 20, the New Zealand women’s cricket team had never lifted the T20 World Cup trophy. Before October 26, 2024, the New Zealand men’s cricket team had NEVER won a Test series in India.

In the space of 10 days, all of that changed. Tom Latham’s band of brothers who weathered various challenges and Sophie Devine’s unheralded team with a mix of veterans and youngsters rising to the occasion created history.

First, a staggering bowling performance by the Black Caps saw India bowled out for 46 all out in Bengaluru, a shock Rohit Sharma and Co couldn’t quite recover from despite the flickering of a fightback. At the end of that Test, they ended a 36-year-old wait for a Test win in India.

A few hours later, in an unlikely final between New Zealand and South Africa at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the White Ferns came out on top. New Zealand had lost 10 straight T20Is this year before the tournament. But they began the World Cup with a bang in a virtual quarterfinal against India, stunning Harmanpreet Kaur and Co by a big margin. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the match essentially knocked India out of semifinal contention.