India's New Zealand tour sparks ticket rush, 26,000 sold in 48 hours

India's upcoming multi-format tour of New Zealand has triggered a record ticket rush, with 26,000 tickets sold within the first 48 hours of the host board's pre-sale.

The 12-match tour, which begins in October, has emerged as the biggest draw in New Zealand Cricket's Cricket Nation members' pre-sale, which opened on Monday.

White-ball matches at Auckland's Eden Park have led ticket sales, while strong demand has also been reported for fixtures in Christchurch and Wellington.

Hagley Oval, which has a capacity of 9,000, is expected to sell out for the first two T20Is on October 22 and 24. The venue will also host the second and final Test from November 27 to December 1.

Demand has also been strong for matches in Wellington, which will host the third T20I and second ODI. The Basin Reserve in the city will stage the opening Test from November 19.

New Zealand Cricket chief marketing and commercial officer Glenn Critchley said fans had responded to the board's call to secure their tickets early.

"Our message to fans from the start has been to get organised to avoid missing out- and the record sales in the first two days proves many have listened," Critchley was quoted as saying by NZC. "This is a rare chance for Kiwis to experience the incredible buzz of a game of cricket involving India and watch some of the biggest sports stars on the planet compete," he said.

Critchley said NZC had kept ticket prices unchanged from the previous season, with tickets available for under NZ$30 using a Cricket Nation access code.

"We're delighted fans are getting in early to secure their seats and with the general public sale still 11 days away, our message remains the same- get organised and don't miss out," he said.

The general public sale will begin on September 7. However, fans can access the pre-sale and receive a 15 per cent discount by signing up for Cricket Nation.
(With PTI inputs)