Eden Park has a special seat dedicated to a former BlackCaps cricketer for this reason
Debasis Sen, Auckland: Eden Park here in Auckland is regarded as the National Stadium of New Zealand and is rightly so with its colossal structure compared to other stadiums across this beautiful country. The 45000 capacity stadium has all its chairs painted grey except for the one which is painted green. As I enquired to a stadium management personnel, he promptly replied that no one is allowed to take that seat in the stadium even if it is a full house. Well, the reason behind it being painted green was the famous six which former New Zealand batsman Grant Elliott had hit in the 2015 World Cup semifinal. That six from Elliott landed on that same seat on looking the ground. Requiring 5 runs from the last two balls of the innings, Elliott gave it a whack of the penultimate delivery he faced from Steyn and the ball flew off into the stands, thereby paving the way for the Black Caps maiden entry into the 2015 World Cup final. The Black Caps after 11 attempts in 40 years till then managed to be in the maiden final. Elliott, a South African by birth remained unbeaten on 84 off 73 balls, and the seat where the ball landed has now been immortalized as the ‘Grant Elliot Seat’. There is also a plaque behind the seat that reads.‘Here Lies the Resting Place of Grant Elliott’s Mighty Six That Propelled the Blackcaps on March 24, 2015, into their maiden World Cup Final.’ Seat 12, row T, section 318 happens to be the best seat in the stadium. It was the culmination of the most extraordinary day of cricket in New Zealand history.