New Zealand and England have one of cricket’s oldest rivalries dating back to 1930. The most recent series in October-November 2025 saw New Zealand achieve a historic 3-0 ODI whitewash on home soil.
In the thrilling third ODI at Wellington on November 1, New Zealand chased 223 to win by 2 wickets with 32 balls remaining.
Blair Tickner and Zakary Foulkes added an unbeaten 30-run partnership for the ninth wicket to seal the clean sweep.
Overall Head-to-Head Record Across All Formats
Test Cricket
- Total Matches: 110
- New Zealand Wins: 14
- England Wins: 51
- Draws: 45
- New Zealand Win Rate: 12.7%
ODI Cricket
- Total Matches: 96
- New Zealand Wins: 43
- England Wins: 46
- No Results: 7
- New Zealand Win Rate: 44.8%
T20 International Cricket
- Total Matches: 25
- New Zealand Wins: 9
- England Wins: 15
- No Results: 1
- New Zealand Win Rate: 36%
All Formats Combined
- Total Matches: 231
- New Zealand Wins: 66
- England Wins: 112
- Draws/No Results: 53
- New Zealand Win Rate: 28.6%
England dominates the overall rivalry with 112 wins compared to New Zealand’s 66 across 231 matches. However, the ODI format remains the most competitive with nearly equal wins.
Latest ODI Series: October-November 2025
New Zealand completed a remarkable 3-0 clean sweep of England in their home ODI series. This marked England’s first ODI series whitewash since their 2022 tour of Australia.
3rd ODI: November 1, 2025 at Wellington
Match Summary
- Venue: Sky Stadium, Wellington
- Toss: New Zealand elected to field
- Result: New Zealand won by 2 wickets (32 balls remaining)
- Player of the Match: Blair Tickner
- Player of the Series: Daryl Mitchell
England Innings: 222 all out in 40.2 overs
Top Scorers:
- Jamie Overton: 68 runs off 62 balls (8 fours, 1 six)
- Brydon Carse: 42 runs off 42 balls (5 fours, 1 six)
- Jacob Bethell: 32 runs off 40 balls (4 fours, 1 six)
- Jos Buttler: 26 runs off 42 balls (3 fours)
Best Bowlers:
- Jacob Duffy: 3 wickets for 41 runs in 8 overs
- Zakary Foulkes: 2 wickets for 35 runs in 8.2 overs
- Blair Tickner: 2 wickets for 50 runs in 8 overs
- Mitchell Santner: 2 wickets for 50 runs in 8 overs
England collapsed to 44/5 before Overton’s 68 rescued them. He added 57 runs with Carse for the eighth wicket.
New Zealand Innings: 226/8 in 44.4 overs
Top Scorers:
- Rachin Ravindra: 46 runs off 37 balls (7 fours)
- Daryl Mitchell: 44 runs off 68 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes)
- Devon Conway: 34 runs off 44 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes)
- Mitchell Santner: 27 runs off 29 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes)
- Blair Tickner: 18 not out off 20 balls (2 fours)
- Zakary Foulkes: 14 not out off 24 balls (2 fours)
Best Bowlers:
- Sam Curran: 2 wickets for 39 runs in 8 overs
- Brydon Carse: 2 wickets for 38 runs in 9 overs
- Jamie Overton: 1 wicket for 43 runs in 8.4 overs
- Jacob Bethell: 1 wicket for 43 runs in 9 overs
- Adil Rashid: 1 wicket for 59 runs in 10 overs
New Zealand slipped to 196/8 needing 27 runs. Tickner and Foulkes added an unbeaten 30-run partnership to seal victory with 32 balls remaining.
The Thrilling Wellington Finish
England’s innings began disastrously at Sky Stadium. They slumped to 44/5 after 10.4 overs as New Zealand’s pace attack exploited perfect seam bowling conditions.
Zakary Foulkes dismissed Jamie Smith for 5 and Joe Root for 2. Jacob Duffy removed Ben Duckett for 8 and Harry Brook for 6. Blair Tickner got Jos Buttler for 26.
The collapse looked terminal for England. But Jamie Overton had other plans. The big all-rounder counter-attacked brilliantly scoring his maiden ODI fifty.
He added 50 runs with Jacob Bethell for the sixth wicket. Then came a crucial 57-run partnership with Brydon Carse for the eighth wicket.
Overton kept finding boundaries, hitting 8 fours and 1 six before falling for 68. Carse provided excellent support with 42 off 42 balls. Their partnership lifted England from 146/7 to 203/8. Duffy completed his three-wicket haul as England finished at 222 all out.
Chasing 223, New Zealand started positively. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra added 64 for the first wicket. Ravindra looked particularly fluent, racing to 46 off 37 balls with 7 fours before Sam Curran bowled him.
Daryl Mitchell steadied the innings with 44 off 68 balls. He shared partnerships with Tom Latham and Michael Bracewell. New Zealand reached 147/5, needing 76 runs from 127 balls. Then disaster struck as Mitchell Santner fell for 27.
Nathan Smith was bowled first ball by Jamie Overton for 2. New Zealand were 196/8 with 27 runs still needed.
Enter Blair Tickner and Zakary Foulkes. The ninth-wicket pair showed remarkable composure under pressure. They ran hard between wickets and found occasional boundaries. The equation kept coming down. Tickner hit 2 fours to ease the pressure. Foulkes played sensibly at the other end.
With 4 runs needed from 36 balls, Tickner swept Adil Rashid for four to seal the victory. New Zealand won by 2 wickets, completing a historic 3-0 ODI series whitewash. The partnership of 30 runs off 44 balls between Tickner and Foulkes proved match-winning.
2nd ODI: October 29, 2025 at Hamilton
Match Summary
- Venue: Seddon Park, Hamilton
- Result: New Zealand won by 5 wickets
- England: 175 all out in 36 overs
- New Zealand: 177/5 in 33.1 overs
England posted 175 all out in 36 overs. Jos Buttler top-scored with 43 runs. Matt Henry took 4 wickets for 38 runs for New Zealand, ripping through England’s middle order with accurate seam bowling.
New Zealand chased down the target comfortably, reaching 177/5 in 33.1 overs. Will Young scored 48 runs and Tom Latham made 38 runs. New Zealand won with 101 balls remaining to take a 2-0 series lead.
1st ODI: October 26, 2025 at Mount Maunganui
Match Summary
- Venue: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
- Result: New Zealand won by 4 wickets
- England: 223 all out in 35.2 overs
- New Zealand: 224/6 in 36.4 overs
England made 223 all out in 35.2 overs. Jacob Bethell scored 56 runs and Ben Duckett made 44 runs. Mitchell Santner took 3 wickets for 35 runs for New Zealand with his left-arm spin.
New Zealand chased successfully, reaching 224/6 in 36.4 overs. Rachin Ravindra scored 61 runs and Devon Conway made 46 runs. The 4-wicket victory gave New Zealand a 1-0 series lead heading to Hamilton.
Latest T20I Series: October 2025
The teams played three T20 internationals before the ODI series. New Zealand won the series 2-1 in closely contested matches.
3rd T20I: October 23, 2025 at Auckland
Match Summary
- Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
- Result: No Result (rain abandoned)
Rain abandoned the match after New Zealand reached 38/1 in 3.4 overs chasing England’s total. The series was already decided in New Zealand’s favor after winning the first match.
2nd T20I: October 20, 2025 at Christchurch
Match Summary
- Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch
- Result: England won by 65 runs
- England: 236/4 in 20 overs
- New Zealand: 171 all out in 18 overs
England posted a massive 236/4 in 20 overs. Jos Buttler smashed 103 runs off 54 balls with 9 fours and 7 sixes in a breathtaking display. Liam Livingstone added 43 runs off 25 balls with powerful hitting.
New Zealand were bowled out for 171 in 18 overs. Kane Williamson top-scored with 44 runs but lacked support. Adil Rashid took 3 wickets for 28 runs with his leg-spin as England leveled the series 1-1.
1st T20I: October 18, 2025 at Christchurch
Match Summary
- Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch
- Result: New Zealand won by 8 runs
- New Zealand: 183/5 in 20 overs
- England: 175/8 in 20 overs
New Zealand posted 183/5 in 20 overs. Tim Seifert scored 46 runs and Daryl Mitchell made 41 runs with intelligent batting.
England managed 175/8 in reply. Phil Salt scored 39 runs but New Zealand’s bowling defended the total brilliantly. New Zealand won by 8 runs to take a 1-0 series lead.
Historic Test Cricket Rivalry
New Zealand and England have played 110 Test matches since 1930. England leads 51-14 with 45 draws. This reflects England’s historical dominance in the longest format.
2023 Test Series in England
New Zealand achieved a rare series victory in England during June-July 2023. They won at Lord’s and Trent Bridge while losing at Headingley for a 2-1 series triumph.
The Lord’s victory was particularly special. New Zealand defended 273 runs on the final day with excellent bowling.
Daryl Mitchell scored 108 runs in the first innings with composed batting. Tim Southee took crucial wickets as England collapsed under pressure chasing a modest target.
At Trent Bridge, New Zealand won by 8 wickets. Kane Williamson scored 132 runs in the first innings. Matt Henry took 7 wickets in the match with superb seam bowling. This victory sealed the series for New Zealand.
2022 Test Series in New Zealand
England’s “Bazball” era began with a stunning 3-0 whitewash in New Zealand. This was England’s first Test series clean sweep in New Zealand since 2008.
Ben Stokes captained England aggressively with positive declarations. Brendon McCullum coached them with attacking philosophy.
Harry Brook scored heavily with 367 runs in 3 Tests. England chased down targets quickly, playing an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket that revolutionized Test batting.
At Mount Maunganui, England won by 267 runs. At Wellington, they won by 1 run in a thriller. At Christchurch, they won by 7 wickets. The clean sweep announced England’s new aggressive approach.
2019 Cricket World Cup Final at Lord’s
The most dramatic match in this rivalry came on July 14, 2019 at Lord’s. The Cricket World Cup final ended in a tie after 50 overs. The Super Over was also tied. England won on boundary count rule in the most controversial finish in cricket history.
New Zealand batted first and scored 241/8 in 50 overs. Kane Williamson scored 30 runs. England chased but needed 15 runs from the final over bowled by Trent Boult. Ben Stokes hit a six and scored 84 not out. The match went to Super Over with scores tied at 241.
In the Super Over, New Zealand scored 15 runs. England also scored 15 runs but lost one wicket. The scores were level again. ICC rules awarded the trophy to England because they hit more boundaries in the match – 26 compared to New Zealand’s 17 boundaries.
This controversial finish sparked global debate about the boundary count rule. ICC later changed the rule to eliminate boundary count as a tiebreaker. The match remains the most dramatic World Cup final ever played.
Famous Test Match Victories
New Zealand Win at Headingley 1999
New Zealand defeated England by 9 wickets at Headingley. Daniel Vettori took 7 wickets in the match with outstanding left-arm spin. This was New Zealand’s first Test win in England since 1986, ending a 13-year drought.
England Win at Wellington 2002
England won by 7 wickets at Basin Reserve. Nasser Hussain scored 106 runs with captain’s innings. This was England’s first Test win in New Zealand since 1992, breaking their winless streak in New Zealand.
New Zealand Win at Hamilton 2008
New Zealand won by 189 runs at Seddon Park. Ross Taylor scored 151 not out in the second innings with brilliant strokeplay. This victory gave New Zealand a 2-1 series win, their first home series victory against England since 1984.
ODI World Cup Encounters
The teams have met 6 times in ODI World Cups. England leads 4-2 with memorable contests.
2019 World Cup Final – England Won on Boundary Count
The final at Lord’s ended in a tie after 50 overs and Super Over. England won on boundary count after both the match and Super Over were tied. Most controversial finish in cricket history.
2015 World Cup – England Won by 123 Runs
England posted 123 runs at Wellington. New Zealand were bowled out cheaply. England’s comprehensive victory in pool stage.
2013 Champions Trophy – England Won by 10 Runs
Close match at Cardiff. England defended their total by 10 runs. Thrilling finish with New Zealand falling just short.
2011 World Cup – New Zealand Won by 8 Wickets
New Zealand chased down England’s total easily at Ahmedabad. Comfortable victory with 8 wickets remaining in pool stage.
2003 World Cup – New Zealand Won by 78 Runs
New Zealand posted big total at Port Elizabeth. England couldn’t chase it down, losing by 78 runs in pool match.
1992 World Cup – England Won by 7 Wickets
England chased successfully at Adelaide. Victory by 7 wickets in pool stage of inaugural World Cup edition.
Key Records and Statistics
Highest Individual Test Score
- Ben Stokes: 258 runs for England in 2016 at Christchurch
Best Test Bowling Figures
- Richard Hadlee: 6/53 for New Zealand (his best against England)
Highest ODI Individual Score
- Jos Buttler: 103 runs for England in 2025 T20I at Christchurch
Best ODI Bowling Figures
- Trent Boult: 6/32 for New Zealand in 2015 World Cup
Most Test Runs in Rivalry
- Joe Root (England): 1,287 runs at 49.50 average
- Kane Williamson (New Zealand): 1,156 runs at 42.81 average
- Alastair Cook (England): 1,024 runs at 39.38 average
Most Test Wickets in Rivalry
- James Anderson (England): 78 wickets at 27.89 average
- Stuart Broad (England): 62 wickets at 30.45 average
- Richard Hadlee (New Zealand): 54 wickets at 26.01 average
Most ODI Runs in Rivalry
- Joe Root (England): 1,145 runs at 49.78 average
- Kane Williamson (New Zealand): 892 runs at 42.47 average
- Eoin Morgan (England): 711 runs at 39.50 average
Most ODI Wickets in Rivalry
- Trent Boult (New Zealand): 31 wickets at 29.06 average
- Chris Woakes (England): 24 wickets at 31.75 average
- Daryl Tuffey (New Zealand): 23 wickets at 28.91 average
FAQs
Who has won more matches between New Zealand and England?
England leads the overall head-to-head 112-66 across all formats. In Tests, England dominates 51-14. In ODIs, the rivalry is closest with England leading 46-43. In T20Is, England leads 15-9. However, New Zealand’s recent form shows improvement with their 3-0 ODI whitewash in 2025.
What happened in the 2019 World Cup final?
The 2019 Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s ended in a tie after 50 overs and Super Over. England won on boundary count rule having hit 26 boundaries compared to New Zealand’s 17. This controversial finish sparked global debate and ICC later abolished the boundary count tiebreaker.
When did New Zealand last beat England in a Test series?
New Zealand beat England 2-1 in England during June-July 2023. They won at Lord’s and Trent Bridge. Before that, New Zealand won 1-0 at home in 2018. England’s 3-0 whitewash in New Zealand during 2022 came between these two NZ victories.
What is the 3-0 ODI whitewash significance?
New Zealand’s 3-0 ODI series whitewash in October-November 2025 was England’s first ODI series clean sweep since losing 3-0 to Australia in 2022. All three matches were close, with the final game decided by just 2 wickets. This showed New Zealand’s home dominance.
Who are the leading run scorers in this rivalry?
Joe Root leads with 2,432 runs across all formats. Kane Williamson has 2,048 runs. In Tests specifically, Root has 1,287 runs while Williamson has 1,156. Root’s consistency across formats makes him the rivalry’s most successful batsman.
Wrapping Up
The New Zealand vs England rivalry spans 95 years with England leading 112-66 overall. The 2019 World Cup final remains the most controversial match.
New Zealand’s 3-0 ODI whitewash in 2025 showed their growing strength at home while England’s Baseball Revolution changed Test cricket. Both teams continue producing thrilling contests across all formats.
