England cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team have one of international cricket’s long-running rivalries. Their contests have produced several historic matches across Tests, ODIs and T20Is, including the unforgettable 2019 ODI World Cup final at Lord’s.
The rivalry has continued into 2026, with New Zealand touring England for a three-Test series in June 2026. England won the first Test, while New Zealand won the second and third Tests.
England vs New Zealand Cricket Timeline
| Year | Format/Event | Result / Key Moment |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Test | England and New Zealand played their first Test series |
| 1950s–1970s | Tests | Regular bilateral Test contests continued |
| 1990s | ODI | The rivalry became increasingly important in limited-overs cricket |
| 1999 | World Cup | England and New Zealand met during the ICC Cricket World Cup |
| 2015 | ODI | England won a high-scoring bilateral ODI series 3–2 |
| 2016 | T20 World Cup | England defeated New Zealand in the semi-final |
| 2019 | ODI World Cup | England and New Zealand played one of the most dramatic World Cup finals |
| 2021 | T20 World Cup | New Zealand defeated England in the semi-final |
| 2022 | Test | England and New Zealand played a three-Test series in England |
| 2023 | ODI World Cup | The teams met in the opening match of the tournament |
| 2024 | Test | England toured New Zealand for a three-Test series |
| 2025 | T20I | England and New Zealand played a three-match T20I series |
| 2025 | ODI | New Zealand won the three-match ODI series 3–0 |
| 2026 | T20 World Cup | England defeated New Zealand in the Super Eight stage |
| 2026 | Test | New Zealand won the three-Test series in England 2–1 |
1930: First Test Meetings
England and New Zealand first met in Test cricket in 1930. New Zealand’s first Test matches were played against England, marking the beginning of a bilateral relationship that has continued for almost a century.
Test cricket has remained an important part of the rivalry. According to current historical records, the teams have played 115 Tests, with England winning 54 and New Zealand winning 14, while 47 have ended in draws.
2015: High-Scoring ODI Series
The 2015 bilateral ODI series was an important chapter before the 2015 World Cup.
England won the series 3–2. The contest was notable for high-scoring matches and helped establish the modern limited-overs rivalry between the two sides.
ICC later highlighted this 3–2 England series victory when looking back at the teams’ build-up to the 2019 World Cup final.
2016: T20 World Cup Semi-Final
England and New Zealand met in the 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final.
England won the match and advanced to the final. The game became another important chapter in the developing white-ball rivalry.
The ICC later described the rivalry as having grown significantly from the 2016 T20 World Cup through the 2019 ODI World Cup.
2019: England vs New Zealand World Cup Final
The 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s remains the most famous match between England and New Zealand.
New Zealand batted first and made 241/8. England also scored 241, meaning the match went to a Super Over.
The Super Over was tied as well. England were ultimately declared winners on the boundary-count rule then in use, giving them their first men’s ODI World Cup title.
2019 World Cup Final Score
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| New Zealand | 241/8 |
| England | 241 |
| Super Over | Tied |
| Result | England won on boundary count |
Ben Stokes played a crucial role for England, while New Zealand’s bowling attack kept the match extremely close. The final featured two run-outs in the closing stages and became one of the most dramatic World Cup finals in cricket history.
2021: T20 World Cup Semi-Final
Two years after the dramatic ODI final, England and New Zealand met again in an ICC knockout match.
This time the venue was the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final in Abu Dhabi.
New Zealand won the match and progressed to the final. The result gave New Zealand a measure of success against England after the 2019 World Cup final defeat.
The ICC noted that England and New Zealand had developed a close white-ball rivalry, with the teams meeting repeatedly in major tournaments.
2022: Test Series in England
New Zealand toured England in 2022 for a three-Test series.
The series was closely contested and became part of England’s aggressive new approach to Test cricket under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
England won the series 3–0.
2023: ODI World Cup
England and New Zealand opened the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup against each other in Ahmedabad.
New Zealand won the opening match convincingly, beginning its campaign with a strong victory over the defending champions.
The result was another significant World Cup meeting between the two teams following their historic 2019 final.
2024: New Zealand vs England Test Series
England toured New Zealand in late 2024 for a three-Test series.
England won the first Test at Christchurch by 8 wickets.
England then won the second Test at Wellington by 323 runs, securing the series.
New Zealand responded in the third Test at Hamilton, winning by 423 runs.
2024 Test Series Results
| Test | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | Christchurch | England won by 8 wickets |
| 2nd Test | Wellington | England won by 323 runs |
| 3rd Test | Hamilton | New Zealand won by 423 runs |
Series result: England won 2–1.
2025: T20I and ODI Meetings
The teams met again in New Zealand during October and November 2025.
The T20I series consisted of three scheduled matches. The first and third matches were recorded as no-results, while England won the second match by 65 runs.
The three-match ODI series followed.
2025 ODI Series
| ODI | Result |
|---|---|
| 1st ODI | New Zealand won by 4 wickets |
| 2nd ODI | New Zealand won by 5 wickets |
| 3rd ODI | New Zealand won by 2 wickets |
New Zealand therefore completed a 3–0 ODI series win.
2026 T20 World Cup: England vs New Zealand
England and New Zealand met again at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
In the Super Eight match on 27 February 2026, New Zealand scored 159/7, while England chased the target with 161/6.
England won by 4 wickets.
2026 T20 World Cup Match
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| New Zealand | 159/7 |
| England | 161/6 |
| Result | England won by 4 wickets |
| Date | 27 February 2026 |
2026 England vs New Zealand Test Series
New Zealand toured England for three Tests in June 2026 as part of England’s home summer schedule. The fixtures were scheduled at Lord’s, The Oval and Trent Bridge.
1st Test – Lord’s
The first Test began on 4 June 2026.
New Zealand scored 113 and 138 in its two innings, while England scored 140 and 226.
England won by 115 runs.
2nd Test – The Oval
The second Test started on 17 June 2026.
New Zealand scored 391 and 362, while England made 291 and 209.
New Zealand won by 253 runs.
3rd Test – Trent Bridge
The third Test began on 25 June 2026.
New Zealand scored 438 and declared at 288/9, while England made 354 and 212.
New Zealand won by 160 runs.
2026 Test Series Results
| Test | Date | Venue | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | 4 June 2026 | Lord’s | England |
| 2nd Test | 17 June 2026 | The Oval | New Zealand |
| 3rd Test | 25 June 2026 | Trent Bridge | New Zealand |
Series result: New Zealand won 2–1.
England vs New Zealand Head-to-Head in Tests
The historical Test record shows a substantial advantage for England across the full history of the rivalry.
| Test statistic | England | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 115 | 115 |
| Wins | 54 | 14 |
| Losses | 14 | 54 |
| Draws | 47 | 47 |
| Ties | 0 | 0 |
These figures include matches through the 2026 Test series.
England vs New Zealand: Major Rivalry Matches
Several matches stand out in the history of this contest:
- 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final – England defeated New Zealand.
- 2019 ODI World Cup final – England won after a tied Super Over.
- 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final – New Zealand defeated England.
- 2023 ODI World Cup opener – New Zealand defeated England.
- 2024 Christchurch Test – England won by eight wickets.
- 2025 ODI series – New Zealand won 3–0.
- 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eight – England won by four wickets.
- 2026 Test series – New Zealand won 2–1 in England.
England vs New Zealand Timeline: Key Takeaways
The England-New Zealand rivalry has developed across all three international formats. Test cricket provides the longest historical connection, while the ODI and T20 contests have produced some of the most memorable modern encounters.
The 2019 World Cup final is the defining match of the rivalry, with England winning after both the regulation match and Super Over were tied.
The rivalry has remained competitive in recent years. England won the 2024 Test series 2–1, New Zealand won the 2025 ODI series 3–0, England won the 2026 T20 World Cup meeting, and New Zealand then won the 2026 Test series 2–1.
FAQ
When did England and New Zealand first play Test cricket?
England and New Zealand first met in Test cricket in 1930.
When was the England vs New Zealand World Cup final?
The teams played the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s on 14 July 2019. England won after a tied match and tied Super Over under the boundary-count rule then in effect.
Who won the 2019 World Cup final?
England won the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand.
Who won the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final?
New Zealand defeated England in the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final.
Who won the 2024 England vs New Zealand Test series?
England won the 2024 three-Test series 2–1.
Who won the 2025 England vs New Zealand ODI series?
New Zealand won the three-match ODI series 3–0.
Who won the 2026 England vs New Zealand Test series?
New Zealand won the 2026 three-Test series 2–1. England won the first Test, but New Zealand won the second and third.
Who won the England vs New Zealand 2026 T20 World Cup match?
England defeated New Zealand by four wickets on 27 February 2026.
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