Here's why New Zealand players sported pink zinc on their faces in the fifth T20I against India
What's the story?
New Zealand players were sporting pink zinc on their faces during the fifth and final T20I of the series against India at Mount Maunganui and it raised several curious eyebrows during the clash.
The Background
Playing their first-ever five-match T20I series, Team India registered two comfortable victories at Eden Park before heading to Hamilton for the third T20I. Needing to win the remaining three fixtures to clinch the series, Kane Williamson gave his all at Seddon Park, Hamilton amassing 95 off 48 balls. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for the Kiwi skipper to secure the much-needed win as his side faltered in the Super Over.
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Despite Williamson's absence, the trend continued in the next game at Wellington as the hosts led by stand-in skipper Tim Southee lost the fixture once again in Super Over. Looking for a consolidation win at Mount Maunganui having lost the first four matches, New Zealand once again choked in the end as they fell seven runs short of the Indian total despite half-centuries from Tim Seifert and Ross Taylor.
The heart of the matter
Apart from India's splendid display at Mount Maunganui, one thing that caught everyone's attention was the New Zealand players sporting pink colour on their faces. Though it appeared as a coloured sunscreen at once, it wasn't the case as the players had sported it for a good cause actually.
The Black Caps (New Zealand Men's Cricket Team) have done that to extend their support for the White Ferns (New Zealand Women's Cricket Team) ahead of their 2020 T20 World Cup campaign which begins on February 22nd against Sri Lanka at WACA. ANZ, the official sponsors of New Zealand Cricket, had requested fans to pick up the free zinc from their branches or use the supporter filter on Facebook. Here is tweet confirming the same:
What's next?
The White Ferns are currently encountering South Africa in the five-match T20I series (which they are currently leading 1-0) at home while the Black Caps will be hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes when they take on Virat Kohli's Team India in the ODIs beginning on February 5th having suffered a shock 0-5 defeat in the three-match T20I series.
Also read: New Zealand vs India 2020 | India fined 40% of their match fees for maintaining slow over-rate in the fourth T20I