The New Zealand National Cricket Team vs. the Pakistan National Cricket Team timeline covers one of the most interesting rivalries in international cricket. Both teams have a long history of playing competitive Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

Pakistan is known for its talented fast bowlers, attacking batters, and unpredictable performances. New Zealand, on the other hand, is famous for its disciplined bowling, strong teamwork, and consistent performances in major tournaments.

The cricket rivalry between these two nations started in 1955. Since then, they have played numerous memorable matches across different countries and international competitions.

In this article, we will explore the complete timeline, historical matches, head-to-head records, major series results, memorable performances, and important facts about both teams.

New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team: Overview

New Zealand and Pakistan have competed against each other in all three major international cricket formats. Their first Test series took place in 1955, while their first ODI meeting happened in 1973. T20I cricket added another exciting chapter to their rivalry in 2007.

Details	Information
First Test Match	October 1955
First ODI Match	11 February 1973
First T20I Match	22 September 2007
First Test Series	1955
Cricket Formats	Test, ODI and T20I
New Zealand Team Nickname	Black Caps
Pakistan Team Nickname	Shaheens / Men in Green
Governing Body	ICC

The rivalry has produced several close finishes, historic victories, and memorable performances by legendary players.

New Zealand National Cricket Team vs. Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline: Complete History

Here is a look at the major moments in the cricket history of New Zealand and Pakistan.

1. 1955 – First Test Series Between Pakistan and New Zealand

The cricket rivalry began in October 1955 when New Zealand toured Pakistan for a three-match Test series.

The first Test was played in Karachi from October 13 to October 17, 1955.
Pakistan won the opening match by an innings and one run.
Pakistan also won the second Test in Lahore by four wickets.
The third Test in Dhaka ended in a draw.

Series result: Pakistan won the series 2–0, with one match drawn. This gave Pakistan an excellent start to the rivalry.

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2. 1960s – Early Years of the Rivalry

During the 1960s, both teams played several Test series. New Zealand hosted Pakistan in 1965, and all three matches ended in draws.

Later that year, Pakistan hosted New Zealand and won the series 2–0, with one match drawn.

In the 1969–70 series, New Zealand registered an important victory in Lahore by five wickets. Two other matches ended in draws.

These matches helped build a competitive relationship between the two cricket teams.

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3. 1970s—Pakistan's Strong Test Performances

The 1970s were an important period for Pakistan cricket. Players such as Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, and Imran Khan helped strengthen Pakistan's international reputation.

During the 1972–73 series in New Zealand, Pakistan won one Test by an innings and 166 runs. The other two matches were drawn.

Pakistan also performed strongly in the 1976–77 series, winning two of the three Tests.

In 1978–79, Pakistan won the first Test in Christchurch by 128 runs, while the remaining two matches ended in draws.

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4. 1980s—New Zealand's Comeback

The 1980s brought some exciting contests between these teams.

Pakistan won the 1984–85 home series by 2–0, with one Test drawn. However, New Zealand responded strongly when Pakistan toured the country in early 1985.

New Zealand won the Auckland Test by an innings and 99 runs and defeated Pakistan in Dunedin by two wickets.

Richard Hadlee was one of New Zealand's most important players during this period. His fast bowling played a major role in the team's success.

The 1988–89 Test series produced two draws, while another match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

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5. 1990s – Pakistan's Dominance in Test Cricket

Pakistan enjoyed several successful Test campaigns during the 1990s.

In 1990–91, Pakistan won all three Tests against New Zealand. The victories included an innings-and-43-run win in Karachi and a nine-wicket victory in Lahore.

Pakistan also won the only Test in Hamilton in January 1993 by 33 runs.

During the 1993–94 series, Pakistan won two matches while New Zealand won one.

However, New Zealand managed to win a Test in Lahore in 1996 by 44 runs. Pakistan won the second match, resulting in a 1–1 series draw.

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6. 2000–2001 – A Competitive Test Series

At the beginning of the new millennium, both teams continued to produce competitive cricket.

Pakistan won the first Test in Auckland in March 2001 by 299 runs.

New Zealand responded in the third Test at Hamilton with an innings-and-185-run victory.

The second Test in Christchurch ended in a draw, meaning the series finished 1–1.

7. 2007 – The Beginning of T20I Rivalry

The introduction of T20 International cricket brought a new level of excitement to the New Zealand vs Pakistan rivalry.

Their first T20I meeting took place on September 22, 2007, during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

Pakistan defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the tournament's first semi-final.

Pakistan continued its impressive campaign and eventually won the inaugural T20 World Cup by defeating India in the final.

This victory established Pakistan as one of the strongest teams in the new T20 format.

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8. 2009–2011 – Close International Contests

Between 2009 and 2011, both teams played several exciting Test matches.

In November 2009, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 32 runs in Dunedin. Pakistan responded with a 141-run victory in Wellington.

The third Test in Napier ended in a draw.

In January 2011, Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 10 wickets in Hamilton. The second Test in Wellington ended in a draw.

These results showed that both teams were capable of winning matches in difficult overseas conditions.

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9. 2014–2015 – New Zealand and Pakistan in the UAE

The 2014–15 Test series was played in the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan won the first Test in Abu Dhabi by 248 runs. The second match in Dubai ended in a draw.

New Zealand made a strong comeback in the third Test in Sharjah, winning by an innings and 80 runs.

The series finished 1–1, showing the competitive nature of the rivalry.

In limited-overs cricket, both teams also continued to meet in international tournaments and bilateral series.

10. 2016–2017 – New Zealand's Test Series Victory

Pakistan toured New Zealand in November 2016 for a two-match Test series.

New Zealand won the first Test at Hagley Oval by eight wickets.

The Black Caps continued their strong performance in the second Test at Seddon Park, winning by 138 runs.

Series result: New Zealand won 2–0.

It was an important series victory for New Zealand on home soil.

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11. 2018–2019 – An Exciting Three-Test Series

The 2018–19 Test series in the UAE produced some memorable cricket.

New Zealand won the first Test in Abu Dhabi by just four runs.
Pakistan won the second Test in Dubai by an innings and 16 runs.
New Zealand won the third Test in Abu Dhabi by 123 runs.

New Zealand won the series 2–1.

The four-run victory in the opening Test was particularly memorable because Pakistan came very close to chasing down the target.

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12. 2019 – ICC Cricket World Cup Encounter

New Zealand and Pakistan faced each other during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England.

New Zealand scored 237/6 in 50 overs.

Pakistan successfully chased the target, reaching 241/4 in 49.1 overs and winning by six wickets.

Babar Azam played a brilliant unbeaten innings of 101 runs. His century helped Pakistan secure a memorable victory.

The match became one of the important moments in Pakistan's 2019 World Cup campaign.

13. 2020–2021 – New Zealand's Test Dominance

Pakistan toured New Zealand in December 2020 for a two-match Test series.

New Zealand won the first Test at Bay Oval by 101 runs.

In the second Test at Hagley Oval, New Zealand delivered another outstanding performance and won by an innings and 176 runs.

Kane Williamson scored a memorable double century in the second Test, helping New Zealand post a huge total of 659/6 declared.

New Zealand won the series 2–0.

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14. 2022–2023 – Two Drawn Test Matches

New Zealand toured Pakistan in December 2022 for a two-match Test series.

Both matches were played at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The first Test ended in a draw after New Zealand scored 612/9 declared in their first innings.
The second Test also ended in a draw after Pakistan finished their second innings at 304/9.

The series ended 0–0, with neither team managing to secure a victory.

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15. 2023 – Pakistan vs New Zealand ODI World Cup Match

One of the most entertaining matches between these teams took place during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Bengaluru.

New Zealand scored a massive 401/6 in 50 overs.

Pakistan needed 402 runs to win. Fakhar Zaman played an outstanding innings, scoring 126 not out from 81 balls.

Pakistan reached 200/1 in 25.3 overs before rain interrupted the match.

Using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, Pakistan won by 21 runs.

This victory was especially important for Pakistan's World Cup campaign.

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16. 2024 – New Zealand's Tour of Pakistan

New Zealand toured Pakistan in January and April 2024 for T20I cricket.

The January series was played in New Zealand, where the hosts won three matches and Pakistan won two.

During the April series in Pakistan, both teams played competitive cricket.

The April series included:

Pakistan won the fourth T20I by seven wickets.
New Zealand won the third T20I by seven wickets.
New Zealand won the second T20I by four runs.
Pakistan won the fifth T20I by nine runs.

The April series finished 2–2, with one match abandoned due to rain.

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17. 2025 – New Zealand's Dominant Performance

The year 2025 was an important chapter in the New Zealand vs Pakistan rivalry.

Both teams met in the Pakistan Tri-Nation Series, the ICC Champions Trophy and a bilateral series in New Zealand.

Pakistan Tri-Nation Series

New Zealand defeated Pakistan in the final on February 14, 2025, by five wickets. New Zealand chased Pakistan's total of 242 and finished at 243/5.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025

New Zealand defeated Pakistan in the opening match of the tournament on February 19, 2025.

New Zealand: 320/5
Pakistan: 260 all out
Result: New Zealand won by 60 runs.

March 2025 T20I Series

New Zealand won the five-match T20I series 4–1.

March–April 2025 ODI Series

New Zealand won all three ODI matches against Pakistan.

Date	Match	Result
29 March 2025	1st ODI	New Zealand won by 73 runs
2 April 2025	2nd ODI	New Zealand won by 84 runs
5 April 2025	3rd ODI	New Zealand won by 43 runs

New Zealand completed a dominant white-ball series against Pakistan on home soil.

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18. 2026 – ICC Men's T20 World Cup Meeting

New Zealand and Pakistan faced each other again during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

The match was scheduled for February 21, 2026, at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. However, rain prevented any play after the toss.

Match result: No result.

This match was recorded as the 50th T20I meeting between the two teams.

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New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Head-to-Head Records

Both teams have achieved success in different formats. Pakistan has historically performed strongly in Test cricket, while New Zealand has enjoyed impressive results in several recent ODI and T20I encounters.

The following statistics are based on available historical records through February 2026.

Format	Matches	Pakistan Wins	New Zealand Wins	Draw / Tie / No Result
Test	62	25	14	23 Draws
ODI	122	61	57	1 Tie, 3 NR
T20I	50	24	23	3 NR

Note: Historical ODI databases show small differences in their reported totals. Figures should be checked against the latest official scorecards before publication.

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New Zealand vs Pakistan: Most Memorable Matches

Some matches between these teams have become important moments in international cricket.

Year	Tournament / Series	Memorable Result
1955	First Test Series	Pakistan won 2–0
1973	First ODI	New Zealand won by 22 runs
2007	ICC World Twenty20	Pakistan won the semi-final
2018	Test Series	New Zealand won 2–1
2019	Cricket World Cup	Pakistan won by 6 wickets
2021	Test Series	New Zealand won 2–0
2023	Cricket World Cup	Pakistan won by 21 runs (DLS)
2025	ICC Champions Trophy	New Zealand won by 60 runs
2026	T20 World Cup	Match abandoned without a ball bowled

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Top Players in New Zealand vs Pakistan Cricket History

Several legendary and modern cricket players have contributed to this rivalry.

2023 Cricket World Cup: 5 New Zealand players to watch out for

1. Kane Williamson

Williamson is one of New Zealand's finest batters. His technique, consistency, and leadership have made him an important player against Pakistan.

Babar Azam | Player Profile | ICC

2. Babar Azam

Babar is known for his elegant batting style. He has scored important runs against New Zealand in ODI and T20I cricket.

Taylor is New Zealand's 'Cricketer of the year' - Rediff Cricket

3. Ross Taylor

Taylor was one of New Zealand's most reliable middle-order batters and delivered several memorable performances.

Javed Miandad Pakistan Cricket Player Our beautiful Wall Art and Photo Gifts include Framed Prints, Photo Prints, Poster Prints, Canvas Prints, Jigsaw Puzzles, Metal Prints and so much more

4. Javed Miandad

Miandad was famous for his batting ability, match awareness, and performances in important international matches.

Richard Hadlee | Cricket Career Stats, Records, ICC Rankings | Wisden

5. Richard Hadlee

Hadlee was a legendary fast bowler who played a major role in New Zealand's success during the 1980s.

WORLD CUP TROPHY IMRAN KHAN

6. Imran Khan

Imran Khan was an outstanding all-rounder and captain who helped Pakistan become a major force in international cricket.

Important Individual Records Between New Zealand and Pakistan

The rivalry has produced several outstanding batting and bowling performances.

ODI Records

Record	Player / Team	Achievement
Most runs in available head-to-head records	Kane Williamson	1,291 runs
Second-most runs	Babar Azam	1,138 runs
Highest individual score	Fakhar Zaman	180*
Most wickets in available records	Matt Henry	33 wickets
Best bowling figures	Mohammad Sami	5/10
Highest team total	New Zealand	401/6
Lowest team total	Pakistan	74

T20I Records

Record	Player / Team	Achievement
Most runs	Babar Azam	880 runs
Second-most runs	Mohammad Rizwan	689 runs
Most wickets	Haris Rauf	40 wickets
Second-most wickets	Tim Southee	38 wickets
Highest individual score	Finn Allen	137
Best bowling figures	Umar Gul	5/6
Highest team total	New Zealand	226/8

Individual records are based on the available head-to-head statistical database and may change with future matches.

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Why Is the New Zealand vs Pakistan Rivalry Special?

There are several reasons why cricket fans enjoy watching these two teams compete.

1. Different Playing Styles

Pakistan traditionally relies on aggressive batting and talented fast bowlers. New Zealand focuses on teamwork, discipline, and well-planned strategies.

2. Competitive Fast Bowling

Both countries have produced outstanding fast bowlers. Players such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Richard Hadlee, Tim Southee, and Trent Boult have contributed to the rivalry.

3. Exciting World Cup Matches

Their World Cup meetings have produced memorable performances, including Pakistan's victories in 2019 and 2023.

4. Unpredictable Results

Pakistan can produce outstanding performances even in difficult situations, while New Zealand is known for maintaining consistency under pressure.

5. Strong Batting Performances

Players such as Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Fakhar Zaman, and Ross Taylor have delivered important batting performances in this rivalry.

Future of New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Rivalry

The future of this rivalry looks exciting because both countries continue to develop talented young players.

New Zealand has a strong cricket structure and regularly produces quality batters, all-rounders, and fast bowlers. Pakistan also has a rich cricketing tradition and continues to discover exciting batting and bowling talent.

Future bilateral series, ICC tournaments, and T20 competitions will provide more opportunities for both teams to add new chapters to their cricketing history.

Fans can expect competitive matches, exciting batting performances, and impressive bowling spells whenever these teams meet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. When did New Zealand and Pakistan first play against each other?

New Zealand and Pakistan first played against each other in October 1955 in a Test match in Karachi, Pakistan.

2. Who won the first Test match between New Zealand and Pakistan?

Pakistan won the first Test by an innings and one run from October 13 to October 17, 1955.

3. When was the first ODI match between New Zealand and Pakistan?

Their first ODI was played on February 11, 1973, in Christchurch. New Zealand won the match by 22 runs.

4. When did New Zealand and Pakistan play their first T20I?

Their first T20I meeting took place on September 22, 2007, during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

5. Which team has won more Test matches between New Zealand and Pakistan?

Pakistan has won more Test matches. In the historical record of 62 Tests, Pakistan has 25 victories compared with New Zealand's 14 wins.

6. Who won the 2019 Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and New Zealand?

Pakistan won the match by six wickets. Babar Azam scored an unbeaten 101 runs.

7. Who won the 2023 Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and New Zealand?

Pakistan won by 21 runs using the DLS method. Fakhar Zaman scored 126 not out.

8. Who won the New Zealand vs Pakistan ODI series in 2025?

New Zealand won the three-match ODI series 3–0 in April 2025.

9. What happened in the New Zealand vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match in 2026?

The match on February 21, 2026, in Colombo was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of rain.

10. Which players have scored the most runs in New Zealand vs Pakistan T20Is?

Babar Azam leads the available head-to-head T20I batting records with 880 runs, followed by Mohammad Rizwan with 689 runs.

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Conclusion

The New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline shows how an international cricket rivalry has developed over more than seven decades. It started with a Test series in 1955 and expanded into ODI and T20I cricket.

Pakistan has enjoyed considerable success in Test cricket, while New Zealand has produced several memorable victories in recent limited-overs competitions.

From the early performances of Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee to the modern-day achievements of Babar Azam and Kane Williamson, many outstanding players have contributed to this rivalry.

The 2025 series victories and the 2026 T20 World Cup meeting added further moments to their cricketing history. Both teams will continue to compete for international success and create new memories for cricket fans.

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New Zealand National Cricket Team vs. Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline

The New Zealand National Cricket Team vs. the Pakistan National Cricket Team timeline: The cricket rivalry dates back to October 1955, when the two teams first met in a Test