The England cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline stretches back to the first Test meeting in 1930 and has developed into one of international cricket’s most competitive cross-format rivalries.
The teams first met in Test cricket in January 1930 in New Zealand. England won that first series 1-0, with three matches drawn. By June 2026, the two countries had played 118 men’s Tests, with England winning 55, New Zealand 16 and 47 ending in draws.
Their rivalry later expanded into ODI cricket, beginning in 1973, and T20I cricket, beginning at the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007. The 2019 Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s became the most famous meeting between the sides, while the 2023 World Cup opener and 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eight added more recent chapters.
Table of Contents
England vs New Zealand Timeline: Key Milestones
| Year/Date | Format/Event | Match or Series | Result/Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Test | First Test series | England won series 1-0 |
| 1931 | Test | New Zealand tour of England | England won series 1-0 |
| 1954-55 | Test | England tour of New Zealand | England won 2-0 |
| 1958 | Test | New Zealand tour of England | England won 4-0 |
| 1962-63 | Test | England tour of New Zealand | England won 3-0 |
| 1973 | ODI | First ODI meeting | England won |
| 1975 | ODI World Cup | England vs New Zealand | England won |
| 1979 | ODI World Cup | England vs New Zealand | England won |
| 1992 | ODI World Cup | Semi-final | Pakistan eventually won tournament; England reached final |
| 1999 | ODI World Cup | Group match | New Zealand won |
| 2007 | T20I World Cup | First T20I meeting | New Zealand won by 5 runs |
| 2015 | ODI World Cup | Group match | England won |
| 2019 | ODI World Cup | League match | England won by 119 runs |
| 14 Jul 2019 | ODI World Cup Final | Lord’s | England won after tied Super Over and boundary countback |
| Nov 2021 | T20 World Cup | Semi-final | New Zealand won by 5 wickets |
| Feb 2023 | Test | Wellington Test | New Zealand won by 1 run |
| Oct 2023 | ODI World Cup | Ahmedabad opener | New Zealand won by 9 wickets |
| Nov-Dec 2024 | Test | New Zealand series | England won 2-1 |
| Feb 2026 | T20 World Cup | Super Eight | England won by 4 wickets |
| Jun 2026 | Test | England vs New Zealand | New Zealand won series 2-1 |
The table highlights major rivalry milestones rather than every international match.
1930: The Rivalry Begins in Test Cricket
The first Test between England and New Zealand was played at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, from 10 January 1930.
England won the first Test by eight wickets. The inaugural four-Test series ended 1-0 to England, with the other three matches drawn.
The series established a cricketing relationship that would continue across generations.
1931: New Zealand Tours England
New Zealand made its early Test visits to England in 1931.
The three-Test series was won 1-0 by England, with two matches ending in draws. The contest demonstrated the gulf between the sides at the time, but New Zealand’s growing Test status gave the rivalry a regular international platform.
1932-33: Wally Hammond’s Historic Series
The 1932-33 series in New Zealand produced one of the most memorable individual performances in the early history of the rivalry.
England’s Wally Hammond produced huge scores, including an unbeaten 336 at Eden Park. The performance remains one of the most notable innings in England-New Zealand Test history.
1954-55: England Win 2-0 in New Zealand
England continued to dominate the early Test history between the countries.
The 1954-55 tour ended with England winning both Tests. New Zealand were still searching for their first Test victory against England.
1958: England’s 4-0 Series Win
England produced one of their largest early series victories against New Zealand in 1958.
The five-Test series finished:
England 4-0 New Zealand
One match was drawn.
At this stage, England had a clear advantage in the overall Test rivalry.
1962-63: Another 3-0 England Series Win
England again dominated when they toured New Zealand in 1962-63.
The three-Test series ended 3-0 to England, extending New Zealand’s wait for a first Test victory over England.
1973: England vs New Zealand ODI History Begins
The two teams played their first men’s ODI on 18 July 1973 at St Helen’s, Swansea.
England won the match by seven wickets.
This introduced a new format to the rivalry.
ODIs eventually became an important part of England-New Zealand cricket, particularly during World Cups and major bilateral series.
1975: First World Cup Meeting
England and New Zealand met at the inaugural 1975 Cricket World Cup.
England won their encounter, adding a World Cup dimension to the rivalry.
The two teams would go on to meet several times in ICC tournaments, eventually producing one of the most dramatic finals in World Cup history.
1979: Another World Cup Meeting
England and New Zealand met again during the 1979 World Cup.
England won the match and progressed through the tournament.
The two sides would eventually develop a recurring presence in major ICC tournaments.
1992: World Cup Semi-Final Era
The 1992 World Cup was another important stage in England’s cricket history.
England progressed to the final after defeating South Africa in the semi-final. New Zealand, meanwhile, had been one of the tournament’s strongest teams during the league stage.
The tournament demonstrated how frequently England and New Zealand were becoming involved in major World Cup campaigns.
1999: New Zealand Beat England in the World Cup
At the 1999 Cricket World Cup, New Zealand defeated England in the group stage.
The result was part of a period in which New Zealand became increasingly competitive against England in limited-overs cricket.
2007: T20I Rivalry Begins
The arrival of international T20 cricket created another chapter.
England and New Zealand played their first men’s T20I during the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in Durban.
New Zealand won the match by five runs.
This became the starting point of a T20I rivalry that would eventually include World Cup semi-finals and Super Eight contests.
2015: England Beat New Zealand at the World Cup
The 2015 World Cup produced another notable England-New Zealand meeting.
England recorded a victory in the group stage, but neither side ultimately lifted the trophy.
New Zealand went on to reach the final, where Australia won.
2019: A Defining Year in the Rivalry
The year 2019 produced two major England-New Zealand ODI matches.
3 July 2019: England Win by 119 Runs
England defeated New Zealand by 119 runs in the World Cup league stage at Chester-le-Street.
The victory helped England qualify for the semi-finals. ICC’s tournament report records the result as one of England’s key league-stage wins.
But the biggest match between the teams was still to come.
14 July 2019: The Dramatic World Cup Final
The 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s became the defining match of the England-New Zealand rivalry.
New Zealand batted first and made 241/8.
England’s chase also ended at 241, forcing a Super Over.
The Super Over was also tied, with both sides scoring 15.
The match was ultimately decided by boundary countback under the rules then in place. England were awarded the World Cup title after scoring more boundaries during the match.
The ICC records England as winning their first men’s Cricket World Cup title through this extraordinary finish.
Ben Stokes played a central role for England with an unbeaten 84.
The final became famous for its extraordinary finish, including the late run-out of Martin Guptill.
2021: New Zealand Gain T20 World Cup Revenge
The teams met again in an ICC knockout match at the 2021 T20 World Cup.
New Zealand defeated England by five wickets in the semi-final.
The match was another dramatic encounter. New Zealand successfully chased England’s total and reached the final.
ICC described the contest as another major meeting between the sides following the extraordinary 2019 World Cup final.
New Zealand eventually lost the final to Australia.
February 2023: New Zealand Win by One Run
One of the most dramatic Test matches between the teams took place at Wellington in February 2023.
England scored 435/8 declared in their first innings, with:
- Harry Brook – 186
- Joe Root – 153*
New Zealand were bowled out for 209.
England enforced the follow-on, but New Zealand produced a remarkable second-innings fightback.
The match went down to the final wicket.
New Zealand eventually won by one run, with Neil Wagner dismissing James Anderson to complete one of the narrowest victories in Test history.
The victory squared the two-Test series 1-1.
October 2023: New Zealand Win World Cup Opener
England and New Zealand opened the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup against each other at Ahmedabad.
The match was a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, although the circumstances were very different.
New Zealand won by nine wickets.
Devon Conway scored a century and played a major role in New Zealand’s successful chase.
The match provided New Zealand with another important World Cup victory over the defending champions.
2024: England Win Test Series in New Zealand
England toured New Zealand for a three-Test World Test Championship series beginning in November 2024.
The Tests were played at:
- Hagley Oval, Christchurch
- Basin Reserve, Wellington
- Seddon Park, Hamilton
The schedule was confirmed by the ICC and New Zealand Cricket.
England won the first two Tests to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
The second Test was particularly significant because England won by 323 runs, securing their first Test series victory in New Zealand since 2007-08.
New Zealand won the third Test in Hamilton, leaving England with a 2-1 series victory.
2025: Another White-Ball Chapter
England and New Zealand were scheduled for three T20Is and three ODIs in New Zealand in October-November 2025.
The ODI series was scheduled for:
- 26 October – Mount Maunganui
- 29 October – Hamilton
- 1 November – Wellington
ICC confirmed the tour schedule and squads ahead of the series.
This period continued the rivalry’s importance in England’s preparations for future white-ball tournaments.
2026: England vs New Zealand in the T20 World Cup
The sides met again during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
On 27 February 2026, England defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo in the Super Eight stage.
New Zealand scored 159/7.
England chased the target in 19.3 overs, finishing on 160/6.
Will Jacks made an unbeaten 32 from 18 balls and also took two wickets, while England’s spinners bowled 16 overs.
The result extended the modern white-ball chapter of the rivalry.
June 2026: New Zealand Win Test Series in England
England hosted New Zealand for a three-Test series in June 2026.
The fixtures were:
| Test | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | Lord’s | England won by 115 runs |
| 2nd Test | The Oval | New Zealand won by 253 runs |
| 3rd Test | Trent Bridge | New Zealand won by 160 runs |
The series ended New Zealand 2-1 England.
The 2026 series was particularly notable because New Zealand recorded their first Test series victory in England since 1999. The three Tests were also part of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.
The third Test was also Ben Stokes’ final international match before his retirement from international cricket.
England vs New Zealand Head-to-Head Record
The historical records show a long-running rivalry across all three men’s international formats.
Test Cricket
As of 25 June 2026, England and New Zealand had played 118 Tests:
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 118 | 55 | 16 | 47 |
| New Zealand | 118 | 16 | 55 | 47 |
England dominated the early decades, while New Zealand’s Test record improved significantly in the modern era.
ODI Cricket
As of the latest available complete record, the teams had played 99 ODIs:
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 99 | 44 | 48 | 3 | 4 |
| New Zealand | 99 | 48 | 44 | 3 | 4 |
The first ODI was played in 1973 and the latest completed ODI in the referenced record was in November 2025.
T20 Internationals
The teams first met in T20I cricket in 2007.
Available records list 30 completed T20Is through the 2026 World Cup, with England having won 16 and New Zealand 11, while three produced no result.
Because different statistical databases can display tied/tiebreaker results differently, the exact T20I presentation should be checked against the underlying scorecards when publishing a live statistical table.
Most Important England vs New Zealand Matches
1. 2019 World Cup Final
The 2019 final remains the defining match of the rivalry.
Result: England won after a tied match and tied Super Over.
Venue: Lord’s
Tournament: ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019
2. 2021 T20 World Cup Semi-Final
New Zealand overturned England’s advantage in the closing stages to win by five wickets and reach the final.
3. 2023 Wellington Test
New Zealand’s one-run win was one of the closest finishes in Test cricket.
England had enforced the follow-on before New Zealand produced their second-innings comeback.
4. 2023 World Cup Opener
New Zealand defeated defending champions England by nine wickets in Ahmedabad.
The result added another major World Cup victory to New Zealand’s record against England.
5. 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eight
England defeated New Zealand by four wickets after chasing 160 in Colombo.
Will Jacks’ all-round contribution proved decisive.
England vs New Zealand Rivalry: Key Trends
The history shows that the balance has changed depending on the format and era.
Test cricket: England dominated the early decades, but New Zealand became much more competitive in the 21st century. The 2024 and 2026 series illustrate the changing balance.
ODI cricket: The record is considerably closer than the Test record. New Zealand held a narrow advantage in the historical ODI record in the latest complete figures.
T20I cricket: England have generally had the stronger head-to-head record, although New Zealand have produced major tournament victories, particularly the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final.
World Cups: The 2019 final remains the most famous meeting, but the 2023 opener showed how quickly the narrative can change from one tournament to the next.
FAQs: England Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline
When did England and New Zealand first play cricket?
England and New Zealand first met in a men’s Test match in January 1930 at Lancaster Park in Christchurch. England won the match.
When was the first England vs New Zealand ODI?
The first men’s ODI between England and New Zealand was played on 18 July 1973 at Swansea, with England winning by seven wickets.
When did England and New Zealand first play a T20I?
Their first men’s T20I was played during the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in Durban. New Zealand won by five runs.
Who won the 2019 England vs New Zealand World Cup final?
England were awarded victory after the match and Super Over were both tied, with the result decided by the boundary-countback rule used at the time.
Who won the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final between England and New Zealand?
New Zealand won the semi-final by five wickets.
Who won the 2023 World Cup match between England and New Zealand?
New Zealand won the 2023 World Cup opener in Ahmedabad by nine wickets.
Who won the England vs New Zealand Test series in 2026?
New Zealand won the three-Test series in England 2-1. England won the first Test, while New Zealand won the second and third Tests.
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