When cricket fans talk about classic rivalries, the clash between India and New Zealand often brings up memories of gritty contests, unexpected upsets, and unforgettable performances. Though not always in the global spotlight like some other rivalries, the India vs New Zealand battles have quietly built a rich and fascinating history that spans decades, formats, and continents. The India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team timeline takes you through the key moments that have defined the India vs New Zealand cricket story, tracing its evolution from early tours to modern-day thrillers.
From dramatic World Cup encounters to intense Test matches in swinging Kiwi conditions and high-pressure T20 showdowns, the two teams have crafted a rivalry marked by respect, resilience, and rising competitiveness..
Early Encounters: 1950s to 1970s
- 1955-1956 India v New Zealand: The first match between India and New Zealand was a Test match in Hyderabad. Although the game ended in a draw, India won the 5-match series 2-0. Polly Umrigar’s knock of 223 runs in the first match and Mulvantrai Mankad’s innings of 223 in the second game are iconic in their rivalry. In the 3rd Test, Bert Sutcliffe scored a career-high 230 for New Zealand
- 1967-1968 New Zealand v India: Although India won 3 of the 4-match Test series in New Zealand, New Zealand clinched victory in the second Test. New Zealand’s first win against India came after Graham Dowling’s 239 in the first innings, his career high score. This series demonstrated India’s prowess in the sport as they defeated the Kiwis on their own homeland, clinching their first series victory on the away ground against New Zealand.
- 1975 Prudential World Cup: The two teams played their first One-Day Internationals in the 10th match of the 1975 Prudential World Cup in Manchester on 14th June, 1975. The Men in Blue played the first innings of 230, while skipper Glenn Turner powered the Kiwis with an unbeaten 114 to pull off the run chase easily, scoring 233 in 58.5 overs at the loss of 6 wickets.
- 1975-1976 New Zealand v India: This series marked the impressive achievements of the Kiwis as they whitewashed India in the 2-match series in their home ground. In the 1st match, Indian players were bundled out for 154, with only Gundappa Viswanath scoring a fifty-plus. New Zealand completed the run chase of 155 in 30.3 overs with one wicket down, with great help from Glenn Turner (63*). In the 2nd match, New Zealand won by 80 runs, thanks to Glenn Turner (52) and the significant contribution of Kenneth Wadsworth (46*).
1980s to 1990s: The Middle Clashes
- 1980-1981 New Zealand v India: New Zealand won its first series against India 1-0. The Kiwis, led by Geoff Howarth (137*), won the match by 62 runs. The remaining two matches concluded in a draw; however, John Reid’s innings of 123 not out and John Wright’s knock of 110 in the second and third matches, respectively, proved significant.
- 1984-1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship: The 1st semi-final of the championship was played in Sydney, India won the match by 7 wickets. Dillip Vengsarkar led India’s batting with 63* off 69 balls, with Kapil Dev scoring an unbeaten 54 off 37 balls. Ravi Shastri, too, scored 53 off 84 balls and earlier wreaked havoc in New Zealand’s batting, smashing 3 wickets, dismissing John Reid, Jeremy Coney, and Richard Hadlee.
- 1987-1988 Sharjah Cup: The Men in Blue and the Black Caps played the final of the tournament at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 1st April, 1988. Ravi Shastri guided India to a 52-run victory with 72 runs off 66 balls. The Black Caps were put under constraint in their run chase and were dismissed for 198.
- 1989-1990 Rothmans Cup Triangular Series: The 4th match of the series was purely iconic as India prevented itself from losing by 1 run. Indian cricketers won the toss and decided to bat first, scoring 221 in 48.2 overs. The Black Caps came to chase the target and fell short by 1 run.
- 1995-1996 India v New Zealand: The 3-match Test series was held in India, with India winning the first match by 8 wickets, while the remaining two matches were concluded drawn. Mohammad Azharuddin was named player of the match for his impressive batting of 87 runs. Ajay Jadeja closely backed up with 73 runs.
- 1997-1998 Coca-Cola Cup: Both teams take on the inaugural match of the tournament in Sharjah on 17th April, 1998. The opening pair set the match for the Men in Blue, with Sourav Ganguly guiding the side with 105 runs. However, the players down the lineup contributed with small scores. Despite Stephen Fleming’s knock of 75 runs, the Black Caps could post a total of 205, losing the game by a narrow margin of 15 runs.
2000 to 2020: The Era of Tough Battles
- 2000-2001 ICC Knock-Out: The Knock-Out final was played in Nairobi on 15th October, 2000. Invited to bat first, India scored 264, losing 6 wickets, led by Sourav Ganguly (117). The Kiwis completed the run chase of 265 in 49.4 overs, with 6 wickets down. Chris Cairns was named player of the match for his stunning batting of 101 not out, clinching victory for his side by 4 wickets.
- 2002-2003 New Zealand v India: The 2002-2003 New Zealand v India Test series proved to be a crucial match in the India vs New Zealand cricket rivalry. The Black Caps won the first game by 10 wickets, thanks to Mark Richardson, who scored 89. In the second Test, India scored 99 & 154 in the 1st and 2nd innings, while New Zealand outscored them with 94 & 160/6, winning the game by 4 wickets.
- 2005-2006 Videocon Triangular Series: India lost the final of the series by 6 wickets. The Men in Blue put up a total of 276, with a crucial contribution by Mohammad Kaif (93*) and Virender Sehwag (75). New Zealand, however, completed the run chase of 278 easily, thanks to Nathan Astle (115*).
- 2007-2008 ICC World Twenty20: The first T20I match was played between India and New Zealand in the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, where New Zealand won by 10 runs. Daniel Vettori was named player of the match for conceding 20 in 4 wickets.
- 2010-2011 India v New Zealand: The two teams played a 5-match Test series in India. While the first and second matches were drawn, Indian players won the remaining three games. Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Rahul Dravid, M S Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, and Zaheer Khan were crucial players for India in the series.
- 2017-2018 India v New Zealand: India won the 3-match ODI series 2-1. New Zealand won the first game by 6 wickets, thanks to Tom Latham, who scored an undefeated 103. India retaliated in the second game with a 6-wicket victory. In the third match, India defeated the Kiwis by a narrow margin of 6 runs. Rohit Sharma played a majestic innings of 147, and Virat Kohli helped India win by 113 runs.
- 2018-2019 New Zealand v India: The 3-match T20I series went in favor of New Zealand as they won the first game by 80 runs and the third by 4 runs. While India the second T20I match won by 7 wickets. Tim Seifert, Colin Munro, Tim Southee, and Daryl Mitchell provided the best scores for New Zealand’s victory.
- 2019 ICC World Cup: India faced New Zealand in the first semi-final of the World Cup in Manchester on 9th July, 2019. The Black Caps batted first and stood up to a total of 239, while limiting the Indian cricketers to 221.
2020 to Recent Encounters
- 2021 ICC T20 World Cup: New Zealand played India in the 28th match of the tournament in Dubai. New Zealand won the game by 8 wickets with 33 balls to spare. India played the first innings and posted a total of 110, while the Kiwis achieved the target in 14.3 overs, losing 2 wickets.
- 2021-2022 India v New Zealand: India played a 2-game Test series in India, while the first match finished in a draw, the second was won by India by 372 runs. Shreyas Iyer played a skilful innings of 105 in the first game. Mayank Agarwal scored a one and a half century in the second match, becoming the player of the match.
- 2023 ICC World Cup: India won against New Zealand in the 1st Semi-Final of the World Cup. India opted to bat first and gathered 397, losing 4 wickets. Virat Kohli (117), Shreyas Iyer (105), and Shubman Gill (80) were top run-getters for India. Despite Daryl Mitchell’s innings of 134, New Zealand were bundled out for 327. Mohammed Shami’s 7-wicket haul is unforgettable in the India vs New Zealand cricket rivalry.
- 2024-2025 ICC Champions Trophy: India encountered New Zealand in the final of the 2024-2025 Champions Trophy. The match was played in Dubai on 9th March, 2025, where India won by 4 wickets with 6 balls remaining. Rohit Sharma scored 76, with Shreyas Iyer pulling the game with 48 runs, clinching victory for India.
Over the years, the India vs New Zealand cricket rivalry has evolved into a compelling narrative of shifting dominance and mutual respect. While India has historically held the upper hand in home conditions and boasts a deeper talent pool, New Zealand has often turned the tide with clinical precision in ICC tournaments and seamer-friendly pitches, most notably in the 2019 World Cup semifinal and the 2021 World Test Championship Final.
The contrast in playing styles — India’s flair and depth versus New Zealand’s discipline and strategy — continues to produce thrilling contests across all formats. As both teams nurture new talent and sharpen their game for global tournaments, the rivalry is only set to intensify.
Looking ahead, fans can expect more than just cricket matches — they can anticipate chess-like battles where momentum, mindset, and moments decide the victor. One thing is certain: whenever India and New Zealand face off, the cricketing world watches with anticipation.
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