India and New Zealand have faced each other since 1955. What started as a quiet cricketing relationship has turned into one of the sport’s most exciting rivalries.
From the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final to the 2025 Champions Trophy Final and the 2026 T20 World Cup Final, these two teams keep meeting when the stakes are highest.
India leads the overall record, but New Zealand has a habit of delivering upsets on the biggest stages. This article covers the complete head-to-head breakdown across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, along with key records, top performers, and every major ICC encounter.
IND vs NZ – Head-to-Head Summary
India and New Zealand have met 219 times across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. India holds 102 wins. New Zealand has 79. The rest ended in draws, ties, or produced no results. India leads in every single format, though the margins vary.
| Format | Matches | India Wins | NZ Wins | Draw/NR/Tied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 65 | 22 | 16 | 27 |
| ODIs | 123 | 63 | 52 | 8 |
| T20Is | 31 | 17 | 11 | 3 |
| All Formats | 219 | 102 | 79 | 38 |
IND vs NZ Head-to-Head in Tests
India and New Zealand have played 65 Test matches against each other. India has won 22, New Zealand has won 16, and 27 matches ended in draws. Home conditions have played a huge role in this rivalry. Both teams dominate when they play on their own pitches.
Test Match Summary
| Stat | India | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 65 | 65 |
| Wins | 22 | 16 |
| Draws | 27 | 27 |
| Win % | 33.8% | 24.6% |
Key Test Records
India holds several batting records in this rivalry. They scored 583/7 in Ahmedabad in 1999, thanks to double centuries from Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. India also recorded the largest victory by runs (372 in Mumbai, 2001) and the largest win by innings (innings and 198 runs in Nagpur, 2010). New Zealand’s lowest-ever total in this rivalry stands at just 62, scored in Mumbai in 2001.
| Record | Team / Player | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Team Total | New Zealand | 630/6 (Mohali, 2003) |
| Lowest Team Total | India | 46 (Mumbai, 2024) |
| Biggest Win (by innings) | India | Innings & 198 runs (Nagpur, 2010) |
| Biggest Win (by runs) | India | 372 runs (Mumbai, 2001) |
| Highest Individual Score | Brendon McCullum (NZ) | 302 (Wellington, 2014) |
| Most Runs in Rivalry | Rahul Dravid (IND) | 1,659 runs (15 matches) |
| Best Bowling (Innings) | Ajaz Patel (NZ) | 10/119 (Mumbai, 2021) |
| Most Series Rivalry | Subhash Gupte (IND) | 34 wickets (1955-56) |
Recent Test Series Results
India won 18 consecutive Test series at home before New Zealand arrived in late 2024. No one expected what happened next. The Kiwis won all three Tests to register a clean 3-0 sweep. It marked the first time any visiting team whitewashed India at home in a series of three or more Tests. Ajaz Patel grabbed 11 wickets in the Mumbai Test. Mitchell Santner claimed 13 in Pune. Will Young scored 244 runs across the series and earned the Player of the Series award.
| Series / Year | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 (3 Tests) | India | New Zealand won 3-0 |
| 2021 WTC Final | Southampton | New Zealand won by 8 wickets |
| 2020 (2 Tests) | New Zealand | New Zealand won 2-0 |
| 2016-17 (3 Tests) | India | India won 3-0 |
| 2014 (2 Tests) | New Zealand | Drawn 1-1 |
| 2012 (2 Tests) | India | India won 2-0 |
Before the 2024 tour, New Zealand had won only two Test matches in India. Their previous win on Indian soil came way back in the 1988-89 season.
The 2024 whitewash rewrote history and proved that New Zealand can compete anywhere. They also won the inaugural World Test Championship Final against India in Southampton in 2021, adding another layer to this Test rivalry.
IND vs NZ Head-to-Head In ODIs
The two teams have played 123 ODIs since their first meeting in the 1975 World Cup. India leads with 63 wins compared to New Zealand’s 52.
Seven matches ended in a draw, and one ended in a tie. India has a clear upper hand in the 50-over format, but New Zealand has had plenty of memorable wins too.
ODI Match Summary
| Stats | India | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 123 | 123 |
| Wins | 63 | 52 |
| No Result / Tied | 8 | 8 |
| Win % | 51.2% | 42.3% |
Key ODI Records
India holds the record for the highest ODI total in this rivalry. They smashed 397/4 during the 2023 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai. New Zealand’s highest against India stands at 349/9, scored in Rajkot in 1999. New Zealand once got bowled out for just 79 in Visakhapatnam in 2016. India’s lowest against New Zealand reads 88, scored in Dambulla in 2010. Shane Bond’s devastating spell of 6/19 in 2005 remains the best individual bowling effort in this rivalry.
ODI World Cup Meetings
India and New Zealand have a rich history in ODI World Cups. New Zealand won most of the earlier encounters, including a famous semi-final victory in Manchester in 2019 that ended India’s dominant World Cup campaign. India avenged that loss with a commanding 70-run win in the 2023 semi-final at Mumbai. The rivalry in World Cups has always carried extra weight because of how much it matters to both fan bases.
| Tournament | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 World Cup | Manchester | New Zealand | 4 wickets |
| 1999 World Cup | Taunton | New Zealand | 5 wickets |
| 2003 World Cup | Centurion | India | 7 wickets |
| 2019 World Cup SF | Manchester | New Zealand | 18 runs |
| 2023 World Cup SF | Mumbai | India | 70 runs |
IND vs NZ Head-to-Head in T20Is
India and New Zealand have now met 31 times in T20Is. India has won 17, New Zealand has claimed 11, and three matches produced no result. India dominates the bilateral T20I record, especially when playing at home. But the T20 World Cups have told a completely different story.
T20I Match Summary
| Stat | India | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 31 | 31 |
| Wins | 17 | 11 |
| No Result / Tied | 3 | 3 |
| Win % | 54.8% | 35.5% |
Key T20I Records
India’s highest T20I total against New Zealand stands at 271/5, scored in Thiruvananthapuram in January 2026. Ishan Kishan hammered a 43-ball century in that match. New Zealand’s lowest T20I score against India is just 66, recorded in Ahmedabad in February 2023. The 2026 T20 World Cup Final added fresh entries to the record books. India’s 255/5 became the highest total in a T20 World Cup Final. Bumrah’s 4/15 became the first four-wicket haul in a T20 World Cup Final. The 96-run victory became India’s biggest T20I win by runs.
| Record | Team / Player | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Team Total | India | 271/5(Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2026) |
| Lowest Team Total | New Zealand | 66 all out (Ahmedabad, Feb 2023) |
| Biggest Win (by runs) | India | 96 runs (Ahmedabad, T20 WC 2026) |
| Highest Individual Score | Shubhman Gill (IND) | 126 off 63 (Ahmedabad, 2023) |
| Best Bowling Figures | Arshdeep Singh (IND) | 5/51 (Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2026) |
| Fastest Fifty in T20 WC vs NZ | Abhishek Sharma (IND) | 18 balls (T20 WC 2026 Final) |
T20 World Cup Meetings
Before the 2026 Final, New Zealand had beaten India in all three T20 World Cup meetings. They won in 2007 (Super 8), 2016 (Group Stage), and 2021 (Super 12). India had never found a way past the Kiwis on the World Cup stage. The 2026 Final changed that record in the most emphatic way possible.
| Tournament / Year | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 T20 WC (Super 8) | Johannesburg | New Zealand | 10 runs |
| 2016 T20 WC (Group) | Nagpur | New Zealand | 47 runs |
| 2021 T20 WC (Super 12) | Dubai | New Zealand | 8 wickets |
| 2026 T20 WC (Final) | Ahmedabad | India | 96 runs |
Recent Bilateral T20I Series
The January 2026 bilateral T20I series on Indian soil ended 4-1 in India’s favor. Ishan Kishan hammered a 43-ball century in the final game. Suryakumar Yadav played key knocks throughout the series. Arshdeep Singh picked up 5 wickets in one match. India also whitewashed New Zealand 5-0 in New Zealand back in 2020, showing dominance even away from home.
| Series / Year | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Jan-Feb 2026 (5 T20Is) | India | India won 4-1 |
| 2023-24 (3 T20Is) | India | India won 1-0 (2 NR) |
| 2022 (3 T20Is) | New Zealand | New Zealand won 1-0 (2 NR) |
| 2021 (3 T20Is) | India | India won 3-0 |
| 2020 (5 T20Is) | New Zealand | India won 5-0 |
IND vs NZ in ICC Tournaments
The most intense chapters of this rivalry have played out on the biggest stages. India and New Zealand have a long history of meeting in ICC knockout matches and group stages. The results have gone back and forth, with neither team able to build a long winning streak over the other in global events.
| Tournament | Venue | Winner | Victory Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Champions Trophy Final | Nairobi | New Zealand | 4 wickets |
| 2003 ODI World Cup | Centurion | India | 7 wickets |
| 2019 ODI WC Semi-final | Manchester | New Zealand | 18 runs |
| 2021 T20 WC Super 12 | Dubai | New Zealand | 8 wickets |
| 2021 WTC Final | Southampton | New Zealand | 8 wickets |
| 2023 ODI WC Semi-final | Mumbai | India | 70 runs |
| 2025 Champions Trophy Final | Dubai | India | 4 wickets |
| 2026 T20 WC Final | Ahmedabad | India | 96 runs |
Since 2019, India and New Zealand have split ICC tournament knockouts 2-2. New Zealand won the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final and the 2021 World Test Championship Final. India bounced back with wins in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final and the 2025 Champions Trophy Final. The 2026 T20 World Cup Final then gave India a decisive 3-2 edge in recent ICC knockout meetings.
The 2025 Champions Trophy Final
India and New Zealand met in the Champions Trophy Final in Dubai on March 9, 2025. India won the toss and chose to bowl first. New Zealand batted well, with contributions from their top order, but India’s bowling attack, led by Mohammed Shami and Varun Chakravarthy, kept them in check.
In the chase, captain Rohit Sharma anchored the innings with a composed knock of 76 off 83 balls. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul guided India home with an over to spare, securing a 4-wicket victory. India became the first team to win three Champions Trophy titles. This win also ended New Zealand’s hopes of claiming their first major ODI trophy since the 2000 Champions Trophy.
The 2026 T20 World Cup Final: India Rewrite History
The T20 World Cup 2026 Final took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8, 2026. India entered as defending champions. New Zealand arrived after a stunning semi-final win over South Africa, powered by Finn Allen’s record-breaking 33-ball century.
Mitchell Santner won the toss and asked India to bat. That decision backfired quickly. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma tore apart the New Zealand bowling in the powerplay. The pair put on 92 runs in the first six overs. Abhishek smashed the fastest fifty of the tournament off just 18 balls. Samson then combined with Ishan Kishan to push India past 200 by the 15th over.
| India (Batting First) | New Zealand (Batting Second) |
|---|---|
| 255/5 in 20 overs | 159/10 in 19 overs |
| Sanju Samson 89 (46), Ishan Kishan 54 (25), Abhishek Sharma 52 (18) | Tim Seifert 52 (23), Mitchell Santner 43 |
| James Neesham 3/46 | Jasprit Bumrah 4/15, Axar Patel 3/27 |
Samson scored 89 off 46 balls. It marked the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup Final. Kishan added a rapid 54 off 25. Shivam Dube smashed 24 off the last over to push India to 255/5, the highest total in any T20 World Cup Final.
With this victory, India became the first team to defend a T20 World Cup title. They also became the first to win the T20 World Cup three times. The 96-run win stood as India’s biggest T20I victory by runs. Samson earned the Player of the Tournament award for his stunning consistency throughout the event.
Key Takeaways
- India leads across all formats. With 102 wins in 219 matches, India holds a comfortable advantage over New Zealand. But the Kiwis have 79 wins and never allow India an easy ride.
- New Zealand thrives in ICC knockouts. They beat India in the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final, the 2021 WTC Final, and the 2021 T20 World Cup. India fought back with wins in the 2023 WC semi-final, the 2025 Champions Trophy Final, and the 2026 T20 WC Final.
- The 2024 Test whitewash changed the game. New Zealand’s 3-0 clean sweep in India was a once-in-a-generation result. No visiting team had ever done that before in India’s 90-year Test history.
- T20 WC 2026 marked a historic milestone for India. India became the first team to defend a T20 World Cup and the first to win it three times. The 96-run victory also broke their T20 World Cup losing streak against New Zealand.
- This rivalry keeps growing. With three ICC event finals in just two years (2025 Champions Trophy, 2026 T20 WC), India and New Zealand now meet on the biggest stages more often than ever.
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Conclusion: India Holds The Overall Edge Across All Formats
India, with 102 wins in 219 matches. But New Zealand has proven time and again that records mean little when these two sides collide in ICC events.
The 2024 Test whitewash in India, back-to-back ICC finals in 2025 and 2026, and a T20 World Cup streak lasting nearly two decades show how unpredictable this rivalry can be. As both teams continue to produce world-class talent, the IND vs NZ rivalry will only get bigger from here.
