Howzat! Amazon Prime Video forays into live sports, bags rights for India-New Zealand matches

New Delhi: Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday announced its foray into live sports in India by bagging the rights for India-New Zealand matches.

Amazon Prime Video has announced the of India territory rights for New Zealand Cricket through 2025-26.

"With this, Amazon Prime Video becomes the first Indian streaming service to secure exclusive live cricket rights from a major cricketing board," a company statement said.

Under the multi-year deal between Amazon and the New Zealand Cricket Board, Prime Video will become the one-stop streaming destination for all international cricket matches to be played in New Zealand for both men's and women's cricket, across ODI, T20 and Tests starting late 2021.

The deal includes Team India's tour of New Zealand in early 2022, and a second tour, the dates for which will be announced later.

The rights for 2020-2021 season starting later this month is intended to be syndicated by Amazon.

Prime members will be able to watch anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, and more. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost.

Over the last few years, Amazon Prime Video has become the go-to destination for world-class entertainment in India be it Amazon Original Series or the biggest blockbuster movies across languages, Amazon Prime Video Director and Country General Manager Gaurav Gandhi said.

"We are excited to add India's most loved game - Cricket - to our content selection for our Prime Video customers...We are happy to make this collaboration with New Zealand Cricket our first live sport offering in India, and are confident that our Prime members will be delighted with this initiative," Gandhi said.

The Indian territory New Zealand Cricket rights package is the latest in Amazon Prime Video's growing line-up of live sports around the world, including Thursday Night Football, the Premier League, ATP Tour Events, WTA, the US Open (tennis), UEFA Champions League, Autumn Nations Cup (rugby), and the Seattle Sounders FC.

Prime Video is a streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies and TV shows.