Timeline of India national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team records * This story is more than 70 years old India and New Zealand first clashed for Test matches in 1955, they have since taken the long-standing rivalry to Tests, ODIs and T20Is. The two teams have clashed in bilateral series as well as big ICC tournaments like the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup, World Test Championship and Champions Trophy over the years. There have been some historic overseas Test victories, nail-biting knockout matches, iconic innings and bowling performances, and World Cup finals in their contests. With every generation, the rivalry has evolved but India and New Zealand have always been regular foes at global stages.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 1955–56

The two teams first played a Test series in New Zealand’s tour of India which took place in 1955–56. The five-Test series started in Hyderabad on November 19, 1955 and went through Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta and Madras. India won 2–0, with three matches drawn. What started here was a relationship that would encompass hundreds of lots by the cover in international cricket. Then both sides were in the infancy when it came to developing their stature within international cricket, but the series paved the way for future encounters between these two nations

.India vs New Zealand Timeline: 1967–68

But it was during India’s tour of New Zealand in 1967–68 that a big milestone came. India completed a 3–1 win in the four-test series, its first overseas test series victory ever. This was all the more special as overseas cricket in that period used to be an arduous journey for Indian teams. It proved India were key Test cricket players who could compete away from home and would go on to be a watershed moment in India Test history. It also made future India-New Zealand encounters in New Zealand all the more significant.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 1975 World Cup

1975 IN vs NZ World Cup India first faced New Zealand in the inaugural Cricket World Cup of 1975 The fixture took place in Old Trafford, Manchester on June 14 Batting first, India put up a total of 230 runs on the board with Syed Abid Ali making 70. Final Score: New Zealand chased the target and won by four wickets. For New Zealand, Glenn Turner had an innings of lifetime in form of a hundred not out. This match was labelled the first World Cup meeting between India and New Zealand and started a long history of their battles at global limited-overs competitions.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 1979 World Cup

The two teams clashed again in England, at the 1979 Cricket World Cup. The two teams faced off at Headingley in Leeds, and once again, New Zealand handed India a defeat. In reply, New Zealand chased down the total and won by 8 wickets. That meant New Zealand had won both World Cup matches there have been to this point between the events. Since India and New Zealand already engaged in a regular bilateral relationship, their World Cup encounters would become more significant as the 50-over game expanded in the decades to come.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 1980s and 1990s

In the 1980s and most of the 1990s, regular Test and ODI cricket kept going on between India and New Zealand. During that time, there were a number of exceptional cricketers on both sides. While India had stars like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and later Sachin Tendulkar, New Zealand produced the likes of Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe and Stephen Fleming. Depending on the patch and format, one team achieved more success than another with its roster. In India, the other batters and spin resources mattered; in New Zealand, the seam bowling often became preeminent.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2007 T20 World Cup

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, added one more format in the India-New Zealand rivalry. This will be the teams’ first meeting since they played for the first time in Johannesburg in 2007. New Zealand made 190 for nine and India replied with 180 for nine. So, New Zealand defeated the Kiwis by 10 runs. New Zealand’s chief architect, meanwhile, was Daniel Vettori with 4 for 20. It was an early T20I fixture and largely proved New Zealand’s potential as a serious threat to the Indian batting order in international cricket’s shortest form.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2010 Test Series

In 2009–10, India toured New Zealand for three Tests and won the series 1-0. India had recorded a 10-wicket victory (in Hamilton), in the first Test, and the second Test (in Napier) and third Tests (Wellington) ended in draws. This was a huge result particularly because India had not won a Test series in New Zealand since the historic 1967–68 tour. MS Dhoni captained, while Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman also comprised the Indian squad. The series was officially another important milestone in India becoming a competitive Test side overseas.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2016 T20 World Cup

The 2016 T20 World Cup also has one such example when India and New Zealand reunited in Nagpur. Batting first, New Zealand registered 126 for seven. This was followed by the Indian batting lineup against the spin attack of New Zealand and ends up all-orteed for 79. Key bowlers: Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi (New Zealand won by 47 runs) It was significant because India were hosting the tournament and entered it as one of the fancied teams. The match itself ranked amongst the more notable T20 World Cup encounters between the two sides, courtesy of New Zealand’s ability to curfews India’s batting.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2019 World Cup Semi-Final

One of the most famous matches in India to New Zealand cricket memory: 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final. The contest, marred by rain, was held over two days at Old Trafford in Manchester. Batting first, New Zealand scored 239 for eight. India’s started the chase in disastrous fashion, crashing to 24 for four. Then came a brilliant 77 from just 59 balls by Ravindra Jadeja while MS Dhoni scored a fine half-century (50). India were all out for 221, handing New Zealand an 18-run win. India crashed out in the semi-final while New Zealand moved on to play the World Cup final.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2020 Test Series

India travelled back to New Zealand for a two-Test series in 2020 early on. New Zealand secured a 10-wicket win in the first Test at Wellington, followed by another comfortable seven-wicket victory in Christchurch. As a result, the hosts achieved a 2-0 sweep in the series. The conditions were favourable for New Zealand’s fast bowlers, and batting was never easy in establishing partnerships for the Indian batters. The series went on again to show why playing Test cricket in New Zealand is always going to be a difficult ask and brought the home outfit yet another valuable home win against a more than decent Indian side.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2021 World Test Championship Final

India and New Zealand clashed in June 2021 at Southampton in the first of its kind ICC World Test Championship: Final. New Zealand finally overpowered India by 8 wickets after being delayed due to rain. India 217 & 170 New Zealand: 249 chase 139 (New Zealand won the match by 1 wicket). New Zealand chased it down with Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor at the chute. The outcome saw New Zealand win their first World Test Championship title and arguably one of the greatest victories in their histories. It was also yet another high-profile ICC final featuring the teams India and New Zealand.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2021 T20 World Cup

The teams faced each other again later in 2021 at the T20 World Cup in Dubai. India had a tough time chasing down the score, with New Zealand ending up at 164 for four. New Zealand should therefore be hoping for a clever start, while India collapsed to 110 out of seven ultimately to lose by 54 runs. The result extended the Kiwis’ good T20 World Cup record against India. The controlled bowling and batting from New Zealand’s side helped them restrict India’s flow. It did emerge as a classic case in the ICC tournaments-related rivalry turn of events.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2023 World Cup

In the 2023 Cricket World Cup, India met New Zealand on two occasions. The New Zealand innings in their league-stage encounter at Dharamsala read 273. India won the match by four wickets, despite 95 from Virat Kohli and five wickets for Mohammed Shami. The teams next squared off in the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India 397 for four (Kohli 117, Iyer 105) Daryl Mitchell played a fighting innings of 134 for New Zealand, but India bowlers cleaned them up on the final day to wrap-up the win by 70 runs. Mohammed Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers with seven scalps to his name in the Test series.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2024 Test Series

The Tests (New Zealand’s tour of India 2024) New zealand were also making history on their Testtour of India in 2024 The visitors had thrashed India by eight wickets in the first Test at Bengaluru and later beat them in Pune by 113 runs. It was New Zealand’s first Test series win in India, following their previous victory. After New Zealand won the third Test in Mumbai by 25 runs, they completed a 3–0 whitewash. It was historic because India had never been whitewashed in a three-match Test series on home soil. The success of New Zealand went on to be one of the biggest chapters in modern-day history of this rivalry.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2025 Champions Trophy

The men in blue will face New Zealand on two occasions — once in the league stage (drawn round-robin format used). The other was that India beat them by 44 runs in a groupstage match at Dubai. The two teams then made it to the finals, presenting yet another high-profile encounter on their ICC meeting. In the final, New Zealand batted first and scored 251 for seven, which India chased down to finish at 254 for six. Match 10, September 24: India beat Sri Lanka by four wickets to win Champions Trophy The win provided another ICC tournament high over New Zealand for India and was moved up the already long list of key matches played between these belligerents.

.India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2026 ODI Series

New Zealand toured India in January 2026 for a three-match ODI series. The visitors won the first two matches before completing a 3–0 series victory with a 41-run win in the third ODI at Indore. The result was historic because New Zealand recorded its first ODI series win in India. The achievement followed New Zealand’s 3–0 Test series victory in India in 2024 and represented another significant result for the visitors in Indian conditions.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2026 T20I Series

That tour ended with both teams playing five T20Is in India after the ODI series. The first three matches of the series went to India. India even lost the fourth T20I at Visakhapatnam, which New Zealand won, only to bounce back and win the fifth match in Thiruvananthapuram. As a result, India won the series 4–1. The T20 encounter was not only a final warm-up ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup for both but also another contest between the two sides before their next round-one match at another major tournament.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2026 T20 World Cup Final

March 8, 2026 – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad: India vs New Zealand (T20 World Cup Final զ). India scored the mammoth score of 255 for five on the board in modifying 20 overs. During the chase, New Zealand battled and were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19 overs. With this victory in the final by 96 runs India was declared winner of T20 World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah led the way with a bowling performance of four wickets for 15 runs and won Player of the Match. This final has added yet another illustrious ICC chapter to the historically intense India-New Zealand rivalry.

India vs New Zealand Timeline: 2026 Tour

The rivalry will continue with India’s tour to New Zealand towards the end of 2026. The series will also provide the teams with a chance to face each other across all three formats, as it comprises of 5 T20Is, 5 ODIs and 2 Tests. The T20I series will take place over the months of October and November, before being followed up with an ODI series through November. The two-Test series will commence at Wellington on November 19, while the second Test will be held at Christchurch from 27 November. Another chapter will be added to a rivalry that hasalready delivered explosive outcomes in both nations, recent years during the tour.

Conclusion

The rivalry between the India national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team began in 1955 with its first Test meeting and has since expanded to cover every major form of international cricket. It’s landmark moments include India’s first-ever Test series win in New Zealand (1967–68), the World Cup clashes of the 1970s, the semi-final in 2019, the final for WTC in 2021 and semi-final for WC in 2023 and New Zealand creating history to become only the second team after Australia by winning a Test series three years outside home i.e. India (2024). Further milestones were achieved with the 2025 Champions Trophy final, New Zealand’s first ODI series win in India (2026) and India’s T20 World Cup final victory (also 2026). The India-New Zealand rivalry is an important part of international cricket with another multi-format tour set for 2026.

FAQs

1.When did India and New Zealand first play a cricket match?
India and New Zealand first played each other in Test cricket in 1955 during New Zealand’s tour of India.

2.When did India first win a Test series in New Zealand?
India first won a Test series in New Zealand during the 1967–68 tour, winning the four-match series 3–1.

3.Who won the 2019 World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand?
New Zealand won the 2019 World Cup semi-final by 18 runs at Old Trafford, Manchester.

4.Who won the 2024 India vs New Zealand Test series?
New Zealand won the 2024 three-match Test series in India 3–0, recording its first Test series victory in India.

5.Who won the 2026 T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand?
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the 2026 T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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