Most people regard cricket as a gentleman’s game and there have been many rivalries that have shaped the game, entertained millions and enriched the game in equal measure. And amongst them, the fixtures involving New Zealand and Pakistan have brought with them the entertainment of players and spectators alike because of their unpredictable history and rivalry that gradually intensified, all while playing cricket on tiptoes with mutual respect. The New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline dates back over seventy years and covers all forms: Test, One Day, and Twenty20. It tells a tale of two contrasting cricketing nations that share a history, a passion for the game of cricket, very different climates, and cricket cultures.
This article will provide an exposition of the history of rivalry between New Zealand and Pakistan and highlight their head-to-head cricket matches, significant games and how this rivalry has evolved over the years.
New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline
The Early Days: First Test Match (1955)
The Pakistan-New Zealand cricketing rivalry started in earnest in October 1955 when New Zealand toured Pakistan for the first time. The first Test was played in Karachi, with Pakistan winning convincingly, by an innings & 1 run. Pakistan, led by Hanif Mohammad and Fazal Mahmood, went on to establish itself as a potent force at home, taking advantage of the local conditions, spin, and reverse swing.
In the first few decades, New Zealand clearly struggled to deal with the sub-continent conditions. From 1955 to 1976, when Pakistan had not lost a Test series with New Zealand, some advantage was clear at the outset.
Test Cricket: One-Sided to Well-Balanced (1955–2025)
1955–1980: Pakistan at Home
From 1955 to 1980, Pakistan’s bowling, led by Fazal Mahmood, followed by Sarfraz Nawaz and Imran Khan, was too strong for New Zealand. They consistently won at home and drew with New Zealand, as New Zealand struggled with their spin and would often have batting collapses.
1980s–1990s: A Competitive Rivalry
In the 1980s the rivalry became more competitive and it certainly was more evenly matched also. Richard Hadlee added to New Zealand’s weaponry in the bowling department and in 1985 they had their first Test series win on home soil. Pakistan consistently beat New Zealand in the UAE or during series with them in Pakistan and not just beat them by close margins.
The end of the 1980s and into the 1990s was arguably the time of peak competition and performances from both sides as both Pakistan and New Zealand produced the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) and Stephen Fleming, Chris Cairns, and Nathan Astle (New Zealand).
2000s – 2010s: Globalised Rivalry
With the growing globalisation of cricket (especially to neutral venues), about half of Pakistan’s ‘home’ matches are played in the UAE due to security considerations provided by the limited-overs tour to Pakistan under threat from the Pakistan ‘elephant’ from Sri Lanka in the 2009 Test series. In this context, Pakistan demonstrated its normal all out competitive spirit and dominance in these difficult conditions.
New Zealand started winning matches at home, series winners in 2001 and 2009 due to lethal seamers (Shane Bond, Trent Boult) exploiting the swinging conditions.
2020s: New Zealand ascendant
In the last 5 years, New Zealand has emerged as a world-class Test side with the World Test Championship win against India (2021) and still beat Pakistan by winning their home series. Despite not being as potent in pace and spin bowlers or with a strong, formidable and competitive top order (in which we can factor Kane Williamson and Tom Latham’s leadership), New Zealand was now challenging Pakistan,
That said, Pakistan remained excellent (if not brilliant) at home and in the UAE, particularly with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed arriving on scene and making an impression.
ODI Cricket: From Dominance to Delicate Balance (1973–2025)
Early ODIs and World Cup Drama
The two teams played their first ODI in February 1973, with New Zealand winning by a margin of 22 runs. Soon after, Pakistan exerted its dominance in ODI cricket in the 1980s and 1990s, during which they were one of the most feared teams in world cricket.
The 1992 World Cup semi-final is perhaps one of the most followed pieces of history in the rivalry. Led by Imran Khan, Pakistan defeated New Zealand’s unbeaten side in Auckland. It was the combination of Inzamam-ul-Haq’s whirlwind 60, along with Wasim Akram’s calmness, which led to Pakistan’s path to the final and ultimately the championship.
1990s–2000s: Pakistan in Sharjah; NZ at Home
Pakistan often dominated tri-nation tournaments held in Sharjah, UAE, and subcontinental conditions and home ODIs by NZ were being firmly established under Stephen Fleming, and then Brendon McCullum.
During this time, both teams had several test matches and series, and the overall tally was fairly even.
2010s: New Zealand’s Surge
Over the last decade, New Zealand has been winning consistently in ODIs. Unfortunately for Pakistan, their home whitewash (5–0) in 2018 proved a tipping point, as New Zealand showed that they could combine tight fielding and disciplined bowling to outlast or skittle Pakistan’s batting.
But Pakistan responded in 2023, with a hosted series against New Zealand, winning 4-1, and highlighting their new stars: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Afridi.
2025 and Beyond
In 2025, New Zealand hosted Pakistan again, and managed to win 3-0 in ODI matches, once again asserting their recent dominance on home ground.
T20 Internationals: The Contemporary Rivalry (2007–2025)
The Beginning of the T20I: Pakistan’s Dominance
The T20 years began with Pakistan enjoying its mastery over T20I format as they were able to adapt to the format in a quick fashion. Between 2007 and 2016, Pakistan was very successful and won the majority of T20Is, specifically in the UAE and Asia. Pakistan thrived on key performances from players such as Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Gul, and Shahid Afridi who helped secure many series wins.
They also defeated New Zealand in the 2007 T20 World Cup semi-final, reaching the finals in the very first edition.
2016–2020: The Field is Level
New Zealand began its path to level the playing field, thanks to Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, and Trent Boult bringing balance to their squad. New Zealand began to win home series regularly and began to steer competitive series on foreign tours.
In 2020, Pakistan toured New Zealand who took them 2-1 in the T20I series, clearly demonstrating that New Zealand had mastered home domination.
2020s: Thrilling Encounters
To highlight how much this rivalry has changed, we should look back at the series in 2023 and 2024 played in Pakistan and New Zealand, that had some high scoring close games and had new heroes! Pakistan won by 88 runs in Lahore (2023), and New Zealand by 115 runs in Bay Oval (2025) emphasized how powerful both teams can be when they are playing at home.
New exciting rising stars like Mohammad Rizwan, Finn Allen, Mohammad Rauf and Glenn Phillips will also make sure that this continues to be an exciting rivalry for many years to come.
Significant Moments in the Rivalry
- 1992 World Cup Semifinal: Pakistan beats New Zealand in Auckland, leading to their only World Cup victory.
- 2018 ODI Series (NZ 5–0): An exceptional whitewash by New Zealand, with Pakistan failing in fast-bowling conditions.
- 2023 ODI Series (Pak 4–1): Pakistan is back on top at home.
- 2025 T20 Series in New Zealand: Kiwis win convincingly, showing they are a team for all formats.
New Zealand vs Pakistan Head to Head Record
| Format | Matches | Pakistan Wins | New Zealand Wins | Draw/NR/Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 62 | 25 | 14 | 23 Drawn |
| ODIs | 122 | 61 | 57 | 4 (NR/Tie) |
| T20Is | 49 | 24 | 23 | 2 NR |
| Total | 233 | 110 | 94 | 29 |
Conclusion: A Friendly Rivalry
The cricketing rivalry between Pakistan and New Zealand is based on resilience, evolution and respect rather than hostility. This rivalry, more so than others, has been constructed on the basis of opportunity − performances, evolution of the team and tactical excellence − and not hostility or pressure.
Through the initial decades of Tests and ODIs, Pakistan was the team in charge. However, as we’ve seen, the uprising of New Zealand throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s provides another edge. Their improvements in all formats but particularly at home, have cemented a strong balance
Where to next, I see both teams have a large youth base and promising new players coming through and an increase in international fixtures. The NZ vs PAK rivalry is sure to continue and provide much more entertainment.
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