India vs New Zealand Rivalry
India lead the overall record, but New Zealand have knocked them out of some of the biggest ICC matches. From the 2019 World Cup semi-final to the 2026 T20 World Cup final, this is the full story of cricket’s most evenly fought modern rivalry.
By CricketGatha · Updated 20 October 2026 · 9 min read
India vs New Zealand Head-to-Head
| Format | Matches | India won | NZ won | Draw, tie or no result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 65 | 22 | 16 | 27 draws |
| ODIs | 123 | 63 | 52 | 1 tie, 7 no result |
| T20Is | 31 | 17 | 11 | 1 tie, 2 no result |
| Total | 219 | 102 | 79 | 27 draws, 2 ties, 9 no result |
India lead in all three formats. In Tests, 17 of India’s 22 wins came at home, while New Zealand have won 10 of their 16 at home. In ODIs, the two sides are level at five wins each in 11 World Cup meetings, with one match abandoned.
The ICC Knockout Rivalry
This rivalry is best known for knockout matches. New Zealand dominated the early ones, but India have won the last three.
| Year | Event | Stage | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ICC KnockOut (Champions Trophy) | Final | New Zealand | 4 wickets |
| 2019 | ODI World Cup | Semi-final | New Zealand | 18 runs |
| 2021 | World Test Championship | Final | New Zealand | 8 wickets |
| 2023 | ODI World Cup | Semi-final | India | 70 runs |
| 2025 | Champions Trophy | Final | India | 4 wickets |
| 2026 | T20 World Cup | Final | India | 96 runs |
The moments that defined the knockouts
- 2019 semi-final: Ravindra Jadeja scored a brave 77 chasing 240, but India fell 18 runs short after MS Dhoni was run out.
- 2021 WTC final: New Zealand beat India in Southampton in the inaugural World Test Championship final.
- 2023 semi-final: India scored 397/4 at the Wankhede, with Virat Kohli making his record 50th ODI hundred. Mohammed Shami took 7/57 as India won by 70 runs.
- 2025 Champions Trophy: India beat New Zealand twice in Dubai, in the group stage and in the final, which they won by four wickets.
- 2026 T20 World Cup final: India posted 255/5 in Ahmedabad and won by 96 runs. See below.
The Test Rivalry
The two-Test series in New Zealand from 19 November 2026 is India’s first Test tour of the country since 2019-20.
The ODI Rivalry
The first ODI meeting came at the 1975 World Cup. India have won 63 of 123 ODIs, but New Zealand have won 52 and often beat India at the big events.
- Hyderabad 1999: Sachin Tendulkar scored 186* and put on 331 with Rahul Dravid, a world-record stand at the time.
- Mohali 2016: Kohli scored 154* in a famous home win.
- Kohli versus New Zealand: He has seven ODI hundreds against them. Rohit Sharma has two, and Shubman Gill hit 208 against them in Hyderabad in 2023.
- Wankhede 2023: India’s 397/4 remains the highest ODI total in the rivalry.
- January 2026: New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1 in India, after India took the opener. Kohli scored 124 in the Indore decider, but India lost.
The T20I Rivalry
India have the upper hand in T20Is, with 17 wins to New Zealand’s 11. Most of the results have come in recent series.
| Series | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 (in New Zealand) | India | 5-0 |
| 2021 (in India) | India | 3-0 |
| 2022 (in New Zealand) | India | 1-0, one washed out and one tied |
| 2023 (in India) | India | 2-1 |
| January 2026 (in India) | India | 4-1 |
| T20 World Cup 2026 final | India | 96 runs |
New Zealand’s big T20 World Cup wins over India came in 2016 in Nagpur (by 47 runs) and in 2021 in Dubai (by eight wickets).
Records and Highest Totals
| Record | Team | Score | Venue and year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest Test total | New Zealand | 680/8 declared | Wellington, 2014 |
| Lowest Test total | India | 46 all out | Bengaluru, 2024 |
| Highest ODI total | India | 397/4 | Mumbai, 2023 |
| Highest T20I total | India | 271/5 | Thiruvananthapuram, January 2026 |
| Highest T20 World Cup final total | India | 255/5 | Ahmedabad, March 2026 |
| Lowest T20I total | New Zealand | 66 all out | Ahmedabad, 2023 |
Players Who Define the Rivalry
Virat Kohli
Seven ODI hundreds against New Zealand, including the 117 in the 2023 semi-final. See his profile.
Rohit Sharma
Two ODI hundreds against them and the 76 in the 2025 Champions Trophy final. See his profile.
Shubman Gill
A double century of 208 against New Zealand in 2023. See his profile.
Ishan Kishan
103 off 43 balls in the January 2026 T20I, and 54 in the T20 World Cup final. See his profile.
Sanju Samson
89 off 46 in the T20 World Cup final. See his profile.
Jasprit Bumrah
4/15 in the T20 World Cup final, as Player of the Match. See his profile.
2026: The Year of India’s Dominance
In the January 2026 T20I series, India won 4-1 and scored 271/5 in Thiruvananthapuram, the highest total in the rivalry. In the T20 World Cup final on 8 March 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, India batted first and made 255/5, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final. Sanju Samson (89 off 46), Ishan Kishan (54 off 25) and Abhishek Sharma (52 off 21) gave India the platform, and Jasprit Bumrah took 4/15 to win the Player of the Match award. India won by 96 runs, with New Zealand restricted to 159.
New Zealand did have their say in the ODIs, winning the January series 2-1 in India, and they hold the edge in recent Test results. That is why the rivalry stays so competitive.
What’s Next: The 2026 Tour of New Zealand
India now travel to New Zealand for a 12-match tour from 22 October to 1 December 2026: five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. It is New Zealand’s biggest inbound tour by number of matches. See the full India tour of New Zealand schedule, squads and timings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the India vs New Zealand head-to-head record?
India lead with 102 wins in 219 matches across all formats, against 79 for New Zealand.
What is India’s record against New Zealand in ODIs?
India have won 63 of 123 ODIs, New Zealand 52, with one tie and seven no results.
Who won the T20 World Cup 2026 final?
India beat New Zealand by 96 runs in Ahmedabad on 8 March 2026.
Which team won the 2019 World Cup semi-final?
New Zealand won by 18 runs at Old Trafford, Manchester.
What is India’s lowest Test total against New Zealand?
46 all out in Bengaluru in October 2024.
When does India’s tour of New Zealand start?
The first T20I is on 22 October 2026 in Christchurch, and the tour ends on 1 December with the second Test.
