Eden Park Outer Oval gets Super Smash finals
The domestic 2026-27 T20 competition final will will be at Eden Park's Community Oval the same host of women's and men's Super Smash finals more than 20 years ago.
The 64-match competition, in what’s set to be its final season, gets underway on December 27 starting with games in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Alexandra.
In a change from the usual format which saw matches taking place every day through the peak summer season, the schedule will switch to 10 individual rounds played across 10 match days leading up to the Elimination and Grand Finals, with six matches (three men’s and three women’s) taking place each round.
The traditional Super Smash doubleheader format will continue with both men’s and women’s matches being played at the same venue.
The final rounds, all to be played at the Eden Park Outer Oval throughout Auckland Anniversary weekend January 28-30, follows the successful initiative introduced two seasons ago for all finals to be played at the same pre-determined venue to encourage a festival-like atmosphere across the four knockout matches.
Rewinding the clock to the first Super Smash final in February 2006, a stacked Canterbury line up featuring international stars Brendon McCullum, Nathan Astle, and Craig McMillan chased down 180 against Auckland with 16 balls to spare in front of a crowd of more than 4,000.
Throughout its twenty years, the Super Smash has played a vital role in unearthing some of New Zealand’s top T20 talent in the likes of Melie Kerr, Finn Allen, Sophie Devine, and Tim Robinson.
The competition has also attracted participation from high-profile international stars in the likes of Brett Lee, Ellyse Perry, Ben Stokes, Chamari Athapaththu and Muttiah Muralitharan.
The Wellington Blaze extended their dynasty with a seventh title in nine years, including a second three-peat in that period, sealed by a thrilling chase led by Jess Kerr.
