New Zealand vs India: NZC apologises for removing banner promoting sexual consent

New Zealand managed to slap Rohit Sharma’s India with an 80-run defeat in the first T20I at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. It was also the visitors’ most hefty defeat in the format. The match was also a witness to a controversy, surrounding all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn. Back in 2017, the 27-year-old was accused of raping a woman, but he was found not guilty in the incident.

During the trial, he admitted that the women said that she didn’t want to have sex with him. Kuggeleijn, who plays for the Northern Districts, later that day, sent her a message to apologise. His inclusion in the Black Caps’ national team was severely criticised. During the first match, a woman displayed a banner, which read ‘No Means No’, directing the talented cricketer.

We apologise unreservedly

However, the security tried to confiscate the sign, the woman mentioned to Stuff. In the meantime, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Westpac Stadium have apologised for removing the banner and admitted that the message in it wasn’t offensive by any means. Richard Boock, New Zealand Cricket’s public affairs manager, iterated that taking that action was a mistake.

“We agree the course of action taken was an overreaction and unnecessary, and that the message certainly wasn’t offensive. NZC has a venue policy that does not allow the targeting of players – but policies are guidelines; they’re not written in stone, and we should have shown better judgement and exercised more discretion,” Boock was quoted as saying in www.nzherald.co.nz.

“We apologise unreservedly and will be discussing this in our debrief with a view to avoiding similar mistakes in the future,” he added.

Kuggeleijn had a rough day with the ball, having given away 34 runs in the two overs he was entrusted with. Nevertheless, Scott raced away to 20 runs from seven balls to help the Kiwis’ set a mammoth target of 220 for the visitors to track down.

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