When it comes to international cricket rivalries, there may be few matches as regularly stubborn and compelling as New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline. Both the teams have made a name for themselves as powerful forces on the international circuit, and when they face each other, fans from all over the world are presented with a cocktail of expertise, strategy and unrelenting passion.
This article covers the New Zealand National Cricket Team vs. the Pakistan National Cricket Team schedule, listing all in-depth historic meetings, major series, World Cup matches, T20I thrillers and many more. We will cover every major event – from the early days to the current battles in 2024-2025—and also include the complete head-to-head statistics table for a better understanding.
Two Cricketing Titans Collide: New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline Begins
The Pakistan national cricket team, founded in 1952, reached the pinnacle in no time. one leading characteristic of this rise was its potent bowling attack combined with batsmen who had the ability to use both sides of the bat. However, the New Zealand national cricket team, jokingly called the Black Caps, had first appeared on the Test scene back in 1930 and has since developed into a top-name DAG cricketer with a heritage of tradition, discipline and team spirit.
As the New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline unfolded, it transformed into a classic rivalry, delivering countless thrilling matches across continents and generations.
Early Years (1950s–1980s): Origins of the New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline
The New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline started in 1955 when Pakistan visited New Zealand for a three-Test series and won 2-0. This set the tone for years of gripping contests.
- 1955—First Ever Test Series: Pakistan travelled to New Zealand for the very first time and made their impact felt straight away. The three-Test match series was won by Pakistan with 2-0.
- 1965—Series in Pakistan : South Africa were the visitors for a 3-Test series that was won by Pakistan 2-0, thereby cementing an early hold on this feisty rivalry.
- 1973-74—A Military Waste: New Zealand successfully tied a Test series 1-1 in Pakistan, showing their rising significance.
In the early years Pakistan generally held the edge, particularly in home conditions, thanks to a hazardous seam and spin attack including the likes of Imran Khan, Abdul Qadir and Sarfraz Nawaz.
1990s: ODI Growth in the New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline
The 1990s were transformative in the New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline, thanks to the rise of ODI cricket.
- 1992 World Cup—Semi-Final Thriller: One of the most epic moments was of the 1992 one day world cup when Pakistan defeated New Zealand in the semi-final. Though qualifying undefeated for the group, New Zealand fell to an amazing display by Inzamam-ul-Haq.
- 1994-95 – Pakistan Test Series: New Zealand proved to be resilient, and although it lost 2-1 in the tight Test series in Pakistan,.
This time brought some of the greatest players — Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar for Pakistan, and Stephen Fleming, Chris Cairns and Nathan Astle for New Zealand.
2000s: Momentum Swings and ICC Battles
The balance came to the rivalry in the 2000s. New Zealand, under Stephen Fleming and then Daniel Vettori, finally began to push Pakistan more.
- 2003 World Cup: Pakistan, in a group match, defeated New Zealand and kept the upper hand in World Cups.
- 2009 Champions Trophy: Pakistan was defeated by New Zealand in the semis, the reverse of the 1992 World cup result.
- 2009 UAE Series: Due to security issues, Pakistan was denied hosting domestic games; opening matches were shifted to neutral venues in the UAE. Pakistan started the ODI series but the tests were a closely contested affair.
2010s: Dominance Alternates
This decade has also witnessed both teams growing with new talents and technological advancements, and T20 cricket getting center stage of cricket fan interest.
- 2014 UAE Tour: Pakistan had the upper hand against New Zealand in the Test format; Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq both delivered for the wins.
- New Zealand Tour 2016-17: Black Caps repelled the visitors successfully by winning the Test series 2-0.
- 2019 World Cup: Pakistan defeated New Zealand by a ruinous margin once more in this world cup group stage for the second time, replicating their dominance.
Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Shaheen Afridi were some of the regular headline-makers during this section of the rivalry.
2020s: Recent Clashes and the Rise of T20Is
Recent years in the New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline have been defined by T20 clashes and Covid-induced restrictions.
- 2020-21 New Zealand Home Series: Pakistan visited New Zealand in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. New Zealand has won both Tests handsomely and also beaten Pakistan in the T20I series.
- 2022 – T20 World Cup Semi-Final: Pakistan did not have a good task to begin with when New Zealand came against them in the semi-final. Pakistan came up with a thrilling chase to win against a hard target and had reached the final by making one more call to continue their dominance as a world cup against New Zealand.
- 2023—Home Series in Pakistan: New Zealand was in Pakistan for a Five T20I and ODI series in April 2023. The T20 series was equalled on two games with each forge gaining porn stars v2 twice and Pakistan conquer that ODI coil 2-1.
- 2024 – T20 & ODI Series: In the games that have taken place, Pakistan has secured their dominance over the home team by winning a close T20I series. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were the big players for Pakistan’s batting team sheet, while Shaheen Afridi was the one who was on top at the bowling desk.
Test Matches: Traditional Battles
Test cricket between these two sides has always been a battle of grit and patience. The New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline in Test format is rich with five-day thrillers. Pakistan traditionally held the upper hand at home, especially on spinning tracks in Karachi and Lahore, but New Zealand has grown significantly, especially since the 2010s.
From Daniel Vettori’s spin mastery to Kane Williamson’s consistency, and from Younis Khan’s heroic tons to Yasir Shah’s turning deliveries—the Test timeline reflects intense battles of skill.
Complete Head-to-Head Overview: New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline in Numbers
To understand the evolution of the New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline, here’s a detailed look at their head-to-head statistics across all formats:
Format | Matches Played | Pakistan Wins | New Zealand Wins | Draw/No Result |
Test | 62 | 26 | 14 | 22 |
ODI | 115 | 60 | 51 | 4 |
T20I | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 |
Overall | 217 | 107 | 82 | 28 |
Pakistan has traditionally had the upper hand across formats, especially in World Cup matches and neutral venues. However, New Zealand has turned the tide in home conditions, particularly in the Test arena.
Key Players Who Defined the Rivalry
Over the years, several cricketing icons have made their mark in this fierce rivalry:
Pakistan
- Wasim Akram – Master of reverse swing, dominated New Zealand batsmen in the 1990s.
- Inzamam-ul-Haq – Known for his explosive knock in the 1992 semi-final.
- Babar Azam – Current skipper and consistent performer in all formats.
- Shaheen Afridi – His left-arm pace has unsettled Kiwi top orders in recent matches.
New Zealand
- Martin Crowe – A legend from the 1980s and 90s, remembered for classy Test centuries.
- Stephen Fleming – A shrewd captain and stylish left-handed opener.
- Kane Williamson – The backbone of New Zealand’s batting lineup.
- Trent Boult – Lethal with the new ball, especially in New Zealand conditions.
Test Match Head-to-Head Summary: New Zealand vs Pakistan
Series / Time Period | Total Matches | Wins by Pakistan | Wins by New Zealand | Matches Drawn |
1955 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
1965 (New Zealand in Pakistan) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
1969-70 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1973-74 (New Zealand in Pakistan) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1976-77 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1979-80 (New Zealand in Pakistan) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
1984-85 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
1988-89 (New Zealand in Pakistan) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1993-94 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
2001-02 (New Zealand in Pakistan) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
2003-04 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
2009-10 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
2016-17 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2020-21 (Pakistan in New Zealand) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2022-23 (New Zealand in Pakistan) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Overall Total | 62 | 26 | 14 | 22 |
ODI Match Head-to-Head Summary: New Zealand vs Pakistan
Competition / Format Type | Total Matches | Wins by Pakistan | Wins by New Zealand | No Result / Tie |
Bilateral ODI Series | 100+ | 54 | 43 | 3 |
ICC Cricket World Cups | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
ICC Champions Trophy | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Other ICC ODI Tournaments | Multiple | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Overall Total | 115 | 60 | 51 | 4 |
T20I Match Head-to-Head Summary: New Zealand vs Pakistan
Competition / Series Type | Total Matches | Wins by Pakistan | Wins by New Zealand | No Result / Tie |
Bilateral T20I Series | 30+ | 16 | 13 | 1 |
ICC T20 World Cup Matches | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
Tri-Nation / Multi-Nation T20I Tournaments | Few | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Overall Total | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 |
Memorable Matches Over the Years
- 1992 World Cup Semi-Final – Inzamam’s blitzkrieg that took Pakistan to the final.
- 2009 Champions Trophy Semi-Final – Grant Elliott’s heroics to take NZ to the final.
- 2022 T20 World Cup Semi-Final – Pakistan’s controlled chase under pressure.
Memorable Matches in the Timeline
Let’s revisit a few unforgettable games that shaped the New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline:
- 1992 World Cup Semi-Final – Pakistan chased down 262 with an iconic performance from Inzamam-ul-Haq. A turning point in Pakistan’s cricketing history.
- 2011 World Cup Group Match – New Zealand stunned Pakistan with a strong all-round performance, thanks to Ross Taylor’s 131*.
- 2014 Sharjah Test – Pakistan’s batting collapsed against New Zealand’s pace attack, showing Kiwi dominance in away conditions.
- 2022 T20 World Cup Semi-Final – Pakistan’s clinical chase against New Zealand, once again proving their knockout match dominance.
Each of these games contributed to the ever-evolving New Zealand vs Pakistan national, showcasing both heartbreak and glory.
Conclusion
Whether it’s the green shirts of Pakistan or the black caps of New Zealand, cricket fans across the world love watching these two teams clash. The New Zealand national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline is not just about statistics—it’s about history, drama, upsets, emotion, and sheer love for the sport.
From the dusty pitches of Karachi to the green outfields of Auckland, this rivalry has stood the test of time and will continue to captivate cricket lovers for generations. With both teams constantly evolving, there’s no doubt that the New Zealand vs Pakistan national cricket team will deliver many more epic encounters in the years to come.
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