Introduction
The cricketing rivalry between New Zealand and Pakistan has produced some of the most thrilling matches across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Both teams have a rich history of competitive encounters, featuring legendary players, dramatic finishes, and unforgettable moments.
This article provides a detailed timeline of New Zealand vs Pakistan cricket matches, covering key series, memorable performances, and statistical highlights from 1955 to 2024.
Overall Head-to-Head Record (All Formats)
| Format | Matches | New Zealand Wins | Pakistan Wins | Draws/Tied/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 62 | 13 | 26 | 23 |
| ODI | 115 | 51 | 60 | 4 (No Result) |
| T20I | 35 | 14 | 20 | 1 (No Result) |
Key Observations:
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Pakistan dominates in Tests (26 wins vs NZ’s 13).
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ODIs are closely contested (Pakistan leads 60-51).
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T20Is slightly favor Pakistan (20-14).
New Zealand vs Pakistan Cricket Timeline (1955-2024)
1950s-1960s: Early Encounters & Pakistan’s Dominance
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First Test Series (1955) – Pakistan toured New Zealand for a 2-Test series, winning 1-0 (1 draw).
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1965 Series in Pakistan – Pakistan won 2-0 (Hanif Mohammad scored 203* in Karachi).
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1969 NZ Tour of Pakistan – Another 2-0 win for Pakistan, with Zaheer Abbas emerging as a star.
1970s-1980s: Competitive Battles & NZ’s Rise
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1973 NZ Tour of Pakistan – First-ever NZ Test win vs Pakistan (in Lahore).
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1976 Series in NZ – Pakistan won 1-0 (Majid Khan & Wasim Raja starred).
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1985 NZ Tour of Pakistan – Richard Hadlee’s 11-wicket haul in a NZ win.
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1989 Series in NZ – Martin Crowe’s 174 helped NZ win a thriller.
1990s: Wasim-Waqar Era & NZ’s Fightback
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1993 NZ Tour of Pakistan – Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 329 in Lahore (highest score in NZ-Pak Tests).
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1994 Series in NZ – Pakistan won 2-1 (Wasim Akram & Waqar Younis dominated).
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1996 ODI Series in NZ – Saeed Anwar’s 194 (then ODI world record).
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1999 NZ Tour of Pakistan – NZ’s first Test series win in Pakistan (1-0).
2000s: Shifting Power Dynamics
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2001 ODI Series in NZ – Pakistan won 3-2 (Shoaib Akhtar’s fiery spells).
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2003 Test Series in NZ – NZ won 1-0 (Shane Bond’s 8-wicket match haul).
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2009 NZ Tour of Pakistan (UAE) – Pakistan won Test series 1-0 (Younis Khan’s 313).
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2009 T20 World Cup – Pakistan beat NZ in the semi-finals en route to the title.
2010s: Modern-Day Rivalry & Thrilling Contests
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2011 World Cup (Group Stage) – *Ross Taylor’s 131 led NZ to a 110-run win**.
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2014 ODI Series in UAE – Pakistan won 3-2 (Sarfaraz Ahmed’s rise).
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2016 T20 World Cup – NZ won by 22 runs (Martin Guptill’s 80).
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2018 NZ Tour of UAE – Pakistan won Test series 2-1 (Azhar Ali’s 302*).
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2019 ODI Series in NZ – NZ whitewashed Pakistan 5-0 (Trent Boult’s brilliance).
2020s: Recent Clashes & Emerging Stars
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2020 T20I Series in NZ – NZ won 2-1 (Devon Conway’s debut brilliance).
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2021 T20 World Cup – Pakistan won by 5 wickets (Haris Rauf’s 4/22).
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2022-23 Test Series in Pakistan – First-ever NZ Test series win in Pakistan (2-0).
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2023 ODI World Cup – Pakistan won by 21 runs (DLS) (Fakhar Zaman’s 126*).
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2024 T20I Series in NZ – NZ won 4-1 (Finn Allen’s explosive batting).
Top Performers in NZ vs Pakistan Matches
Batting Records
Most Runs (Tests)
| Player | Runs | Avg | 100s | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javed Miandad (PAK) | 1910 | 55.00 | 6 | 271 |
| Martin Crowe (NZ) | 1498 | 51.65 | 5 | 174 |
| Younis Khan (PAK) | 1460 | 48.66 | 5 | 313 |
Most Runs (ODIs)
| Player | Runs | Avg | 100s | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Taylor (NZ) | 1259 | 44.96 | 3 | 131* |
| Saeed Anwar (PAK) | 1074 | 41.30 | 3 | 194 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 1025 | 51.25 | 3 | 125* |
Most Runs (T20Is)
| Player | Runs | Avg | SR | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 678 | 48.42 | 128.40 | 98* |
| Kane Williamson (NZ) | 576 | 36.00 | 122.80 | 95 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 549 | 34.31 | 123.70 | 101* |
Bowling Records
Most Wickets (Tests)
| Player | Wickets | Avg | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 70 | 20.44 | 7/119 |
| Richard Hadlee (NZ) | 65 | 18.90 | 7/23 |
| Waqar Younis (PAK) | 59 | 22.96 | 6/78 |
Most Wickets (ODIs)
| Player | Wickets | Avg | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shahid Afridi (PAK) | 49 | 28.22 | 5/35 |
| Daniel Vettori (NZ) | 48 | 30.85 | 5/30 |
| Shoaib Akhtar (PAK) | 41 | 23.90 | 6/16 |
Most Wickets (T20Is)
| Player | Wickets | Avg | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Southee (NZ) | 25 | 20.32 | 4/21 |
| Shaheen Afridi (PAK) | 22 | 18.50 | 4/22 |
| Haris Rauf (PAK) | 19 | 17.63 | 4/22 |
Memorable Matches in NZ vs Pakistan History
1. Saeed Anwar’s 194 (1996 ODI, Chennai)
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Pakistan: 327/5 (Anwar’s 194 – then ODI record)
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New Zealand: 263 all out
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Result: Pakistan won by 64 runs.
2. Younis Khan’s 313 (2009 Test, Karachi)
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Pakistan: 765/6d (Younis’ 313, highest score in NZ-Pak Tests)
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New Zealand: 404 & 262
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Result: Pakistan won by an innings and 99 runs.
*3. Ross Taylor’s 131* (2011 World Cup, Pallekele)*
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New Zealand: 302/7 (Taylor’s 131* in 124 balls)
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Pakistan: 192 all out
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Result: NZ won by 110 runs.
4. NZ’s First Test Series Win in Pakistan (2023, Karachi & Lahore)
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1st Test: NZ won by 101 runs (Ajaz Patel’s 10-wicket match haul).
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2nd Test: NZ won by an innings and 176 runs (Kane Williamson’s 200*).
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Result: NZ won 2-0 (historic first series win in Pakistan).
Conclusion
The New Zealand vs Pakistan cricket rivalry has evolved over decades, featuring legendary players, record-breaking performances, and dramatic finishes. While Pakistan dominated early, New Zealand has closed the gap in recent years, especially in Tests and T20Is.
