Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Cricket Timeline: Complete Head-to-Head History, Records & Stats
The Zimbabwe national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline is one of cricket’s most data-rich rivalries-spanning 33 years, three formats, and two very different cricketing journeys. Since their first meeting at the 1992 World Cup, these two sides have played 19 Tests, 38 ODIs, and 8 T20Is. New Zealand dominate across every format. But buried inside this rivalry is a five-year window when Zimbabwe matched and beat them-home and away-and that story deserves as much attention as the scorelines that followed. This article covers the complete timeline, verified head-to-head records, top performers, best partnerships, and a full breakdown of the 2025 series that rewrote New Zealand’s Test history books.
Table of Contents
- Quick Answer
- Fast Facts
- Complete Rivalry Timeline (1992–2025)
- Head-to-Head Records by Format
- Top Performers-Batting and Bowling
- Best Partnerships
- Decade-by-Decade History
- 2025 Tour: Full Breakdown
- Why New Zealand Have Dominated
- Zimbabwe’s Best Moments Against New Zealand
- FAQs
Quick Answer: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Head-to-Head
New Zealand lead the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand cricket rivalry in all three formats. In Tests, New Zealand have won 13, Zimbabwe have won 0, and 6 have been drawn from 19 played. In ODIs, New Zealand lead 27–9 from 38 matches. In T20Is, New Zealand have won all 8 matches played. Zimbabwe’s strongest period came between 1998 and 2003, when they won back-to-back ODI series against New Zealand-once at home and once in New Zealand. The most significant modern chapter in the zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline arrived in August 2025, when New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs-the largest victory margin in New Zealand Test history and the third-largest in all of Test cricket history.
Fast Facts Box
| Stat | Detail |
| First meeting | 1992 World Cup, February 22, 1992 |
| Total Tests | 19-NZ won 13, ZIM won 0, Drawn 6 |
| Total ODIs | 38-NZ won 27, ZIM won 9, 1 tied, 1 NR |
| Total T20Is | 8-NZ won 8, ZIM won 0 |
| Largest Test win | NZ by innings and 359 runs, Bulawayo, Aug 2025 |
| Highest team total (Tests) | NZ 601/3 declared, Bulawayo, Aug 2025 |
| Best debut bowling (Tests) | Zakary Foulkes: 9/75 (4/38 + 5/37), 2025 |
| NZ top Test scorer vs ZIM | MJ Horne (6 Tests, consistent scorer) |
| ZIM top Test scorer vs NZ | BRM Taylor (5 Tests) |
| ZIM’s best ODI period | 2000/01-won series home and away |
Complete Rivalry Timeline (1992–2025)
The zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline runs from a single World Cup group game in 1992 to a historic Test series sweep in 2025. Below is the complete verified match-by-match series history.
| Year | Format | Series / Event | Result |
| 1992 | ODI | 1992 World Cup | NZ won |
| 1992/93 | Test | NZ tour of Zimbabwe | NZ won 1-0 |
| 1992/93 | ODI | NZ tour of Zimbabwe | NZ won 2-0 |
| 1995/96 | ODI | ZIM tour of NZ | NZ won 2-1 |
| 1997/98 | ODI | NZ tour of Zimbabwe | Drawn 1-1 |
| 1997/98 | ODI | ZIM tour of NZ | NZ won 4-1 |
| 2000/01 | ODI | NZ tour of Zimbabwe | ZIM won 2-1 |
| 2000/01 | ODI | ZIM tour of NZ | ZIM won 2-1 |
| 2003 | ODI | 2003 World Cup, Bloemfontein | NZ won |
| 2005/06 | Test + ODI | ZIM tour of NZ | NZ won Tests 2-0 |
| 2010 | T20I | T20 World Cup, Guyana | NZ won (D/L) |
| 2011 | ODI | 2011 World Cup, Ahmedabad | NZ won by 10 wickets |
| 2011/12 | Test + ODI + T20I | NZ tour of Zimbabwe | NZ won all series |
| 2015 | Test + ODI + T20I | NZ tour of Zimbabwe | NZ won all series |
| 2022 | T20I | ICC event | ZIM won |
| July 2025 | T20I | T20I Tri-Series | NZ won both ZIM matches |
| July 30, 2025 | Test | 1st Test, Bulawayo | NZ won by 9 wickets |
| Aug 7–9, 2025 | Test | 2nd Test, Bulawayo | NZ won by innings and 359 runs |
Head-to-Head Records by Format
Across every format in the zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline, New Zealand’s dominance is consistent. However, the margins and the stories behind individual formats are very different.
Tests-19 Matches
New Zealand have never lost a Test match against Zimbabwe in 19 attempts. They have won 13, with 6 drawn. Zimbabwe’s best results in Tests have been draws-competitive sessions followed by weather-affected finishes or tightly-contested defensive stands.
| Metric | New Zealand | Zimbabwe |
| Matches won | 13 | 0 |
| Drawn | 6 | 6 |
| Highest team total | 601/3 dec (2025) | — |
| Lowest team total (in 2025 series) | — | 117 (2nd innings, 2025) |
ODIs-38 Matches
New Zealand lead 27–9, but Zimbabwe’s 9 wins make this the most competitive format in the rivalry. Almost all of Zimbabwe’s ODI wins came between 1998 and 2003-their peak generation-including home and away series victories in 2000/01.
| Metric | New Zealand | Zimbabwe |
| Matches won | 27 | 9 |
| Tied | 1 | 1 |
| No Result | 1 | 1 |
T20Is-8 Matches
New Zealand hold a 100% win rate against Zimbabwe in T20 Internationals. From 8 matches played, New Zealand have won all 8. Zimbabwe have produced competitive totals in some matches but have consistently fallen short with the ball.
Top Performers
Batting-Most Runs in the Rivalry
The top run-scorers across the zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline are distributed across three decades. New Zealand’s depth of contributors across eras reflects their consistent batting culture.
| Player | Team | Format | Era | Notes |
| CZ Harris (Chris Harris) | NZ | ODIs | 1992–2003 | 20 ODIs-highest NZ ODI appearances in rivalry |
| MJ Horne | NZ | Tests | 1997–2000 | 6 Tests, consistent opener |
| BRM Taylor | ZIM | Tests | 2005–2025 | Zimbabwe’s top Test scorer in this fixture |
| Devon Conway | NZ | Tests | 2025 | 153 in 2nd Test, Bulawayo |
| Rachin Ravindra | NZ | Tests | 2025 | 165* in 2nd Test, Bulawayo |
| Henry Nicholls | NZ | Tests | 2025 | 150* in same innings as Conway and Ravindra |
| Martin Guptill | NZ | ODIs + Tests | 2011–2016 | 10-wicket World Cup win opener |
| SV Carlisle | ZIM | ODIs | 1996–2005 | Zimbabwe’s most consistent ODI batter vs NZ |
Bowling-Most Wickets and Best Figures
Matt Henry and Zakary Foulkes defined the 2025 series with pace, discipline, and historic figures. On the Zimbabwe side, Heath Streak remains the all-time leader in ODI wickets for Zimbabwe (237 across his career), with Blessing Muzarabani now leading the pace attack in the modern era.
| Player | Team | Format | Best Figures | Notes |
| Zakary Foulkes | NZ | Tests | 9/75 on debut (4/38 + 5/37) | Best debut figures by any NZ player |
| Matt Henry | NZ | Tests | 5/40, 1st Test 2025 | 6th Test five-wicket haul |
| Ish Sodhi | NZ | T20Is | 4/12, Tri-Series 2025 | Career-best T20I figures |
| HH Streak | ZIM | ODIs | 237 ODI wickets (career) | Zimbabwe’s all-time ODI wickets leader |
| Blessing Muzarabani | ZIM | Tests | Frontline pacer | 2025 series participant |
Best Partnerships
Test Partnerships
The 2025 series produced the most dominant batting partnerships in the history of this rivalry. New Zealand’s 601/3 declared was built on three separate century partnerships-a structural demolition of Zimbabwe’s bowling attack.
| Partnership | Players | Wicket | Match |
| 256 | Rachin Ravindra (165*) + Henry Nicholls (150*) | 4th wicket | 2nd Test, Bulawayo 2025 |
| 150+ | Devon Conway (153) + Will Young | 1st wicket | 2nd Test, Bulawayo 2025 |
| 29 | BRM Taylor (44) + Tsiga (33) | Best ZIM partnership | 1st Test, 1st innings 2025 |
New Zealand’s opening stand of 150+ in the 2nd Test was their first opening partnership exceeding 150 in almost three years. Zimbabwe’s best first-innings partnership in the same match was only 29 runs-the structural collapse at the top of the order that defined Zimbabwe’s entire 2025 series.
ODI Partnerships
Rob Nicol’s 146 off 134 balls during the 2011/12 New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe remains the highest individual ODI score by a New Zealand batter in this fixture.Chris Harris participated in multiple century partnerships against Zimbabwe across 20 ODIs between 1992 and 2003-contributing most significantly during New Zealand’s dominant 1997/98 away series.
Decade-by-Decade History
Read More: Bangladesh national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team timeline
1992–1999: The Establishment Phase
New Zealand won every series in the rivalry’s first decade. They took the 1992/93 Test series 1-0 and the ODI series 2-0 on Zimbabwe’s home soil. The 1997/98 ODI series in Zimbabwe ended 1-1-the first drawn series result and the first sign that Zimbabwe could hold their own at home with a settled, experienced squad. That 1-1 draw is often overlooked in the broader timeline, but it was the foundation for what followed in 2000/01.
2000–2003: Zimbabwe’s Golden Window
This is the most important section of the zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline for understanding what Zimbabwe cricket once was. Zimbabwe won consecutive ODI series against New Zealand-2-1 at home in 2000/01 and 2-1 in New Zealand in 2000/01. Both were genuine, competitive series victories. The team was built around Andy Flower, Heath Streak, and a domestic pipeline that produced match-winners at multiple positions. Those two results-home and away-are the clearest evidence that this rivalry has not always been one-sided. The back-to-back series wins remain Zimbabwe’s highest achievement in the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand cricket timeline, and they have not been matched since.
2004–2010: Voluntary Withdrawal and the Growing Gap
Zimbabwe suspended Test cricket from 2004 to 2011 due to player emigration and political instability. Their reduced Test schedule limited exposure against top opposition during this critical developmental period. New Zealand maintained a full bilateral and ICC tournament calendar throughout, developing the generation of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, and Brendon McCullum while Zimbabwe stood still. The gap that opened during this period took years to even partially narrow.
2011–2024: Return and Rebuilding
Zimbabwe returned to Tests in 2011-but the competitive landscape had changed completely. The 2011 World Cup clash ended in a 10-wicket New Zealand win, with Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum chasing Zimbabwe’s 162 without loss. The 2011/12 and 2015 bilateral series both ended in New Zealand wins across all formats. The one confirmed exception: Zimbabwe beat New Zealand in a 2022 T20I, 169/7 to 165/6-a legitimate result in the shortest format, proving Zimbabwe’s T20I squad still had match-winning ability on any given day.
2025: The Defining Modern Chapter
The 2025 tour by New Zealand produced the most one-sided results in the entire history of this rivalry. New Zealand won both T20Is in the Tri-Series, won the 1st Test by 9 wickets, and the 2nd Test by an innings and 359 runs-their largest ever Test win. It was a complete performance across all three formats.
2025 Tour: Full Breakdown
T20I Tri-Series (July 2025)
The T20I Tri-Series included New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 8 wickets on July 18 (chasing 121 in 13.5 overs) and by 60 runs on July 24 (190/6 to 130). Ish Sodhi’s 4/12 against Zimbabwe was his career-best T20I bowling figures. Devon Conway contributed a 59* off 40 balls in the July 18 match. New Zealand won the Tri-Series final against South Africa by 3 runs.
1st Test, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo-July 30, 2025
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat. They were bowled out for 125. Matt Henry took 5/40-his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests. Zimbabwe’s best partnership in the first innings was 29 runs, between BRM Taylor (44) and Tsiga (33). New Zealand replied with 307/8 declared and bowled Zimbabwe out again in their second innings for 165. New Zealand chased the target of 8 runs, losing just 1 wicket. Result: New Zealand won by 9 wickets.
2nd Test, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo-August 7–9, 2025
This match produced the most statistically significant result in the Zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline.
New Zealand posted 601 for 3 declared, with:
- Devon Conway: 153
- Rachin Ravindra: 165* (not out)
- Henry Nicholls: 150* (not out)
All three batters scored above 150 in the same innings-a rare occurrence at any level of Test cricket. Ravindra and Nicholls added 256 runs for the fourth wicket.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 125 in their first innings. Debutant Zakary Foulkes took 4/38 on his first day of Test cricket. Enforced to follow on with a 476-run deficit, Zimbabwe were dismissed for 117 in 28.1 overs. Foulkes took 5/37 in the second innings, finishing with 9/75 across the match-the best figures on debut by any New Zealand player in Test history. Nick Welch made 47* for Zimbabwe. Extras (16) was the third-highest contributor in Zimbabwe’s second innings-a number that reflects how completely the batting order failed under pressure.
New Zealand won by an innings and 359 runs-their biggest Test win in history. This was the third-largest victory margin in all of Test cricket history, behind England’s innings and 579-run win over Australia at The Oval in 1938 and Australia’s innings and 360-run win over South Africa in Johannesburg in 2002.
Why New Zealand Have Dominated This Rivalry
Domestic System Produces Ready Players
Zakary Foulkes walked into his debut Test and took 9 wickets-not a fluke, but a product of New Zealand’s Plunket Shield domestic competition, which consistently produces Test-hardened players before they reach international level. Zimbabwe’s Logan Cup domestic competition has improved significantly with players like Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza, but the depth of bowling options beyond the first-choice attack remains a challenge.
Batting Depth With No Weak Links
In the 2nd Test 2025, three New Zealand batters each exceeded 150 in the same innings across three separate partnerships. Zimbabwe’s bowling attack could not contain any of them. The gap is not just individual brilliance-it is the collective batting culture built across New Zealand’s full domestic and international program that provides consistency at every position from 1 to 7.
Match Exposure at the Highest Level
Zimbabwe’s reduced Test schedule after returning in 2011 limited their exposure against top opposition during critical developmental years. New Zealand maintained a full ICC tournament and bilateral series calendar throughout. The experience gap that results from this difference is visible in every close-match scenario-chase management, follow-on response, pressure bowling at the death-the micro-decisions that separate teams at the top from teams still building.
Zimbabwe’s Best Moments in This Rivalry
Despite New Zealand’s overall dominance in the zimbabwe national cricket team vs new zealand national cricket team timeline, Zimbabwe have produced real results worth recording:
- 2000/01 ODI series win at home, 2-1: Zimbabwe’s peak generation, Andy Flower era, home conditions.
- 2000/01 ODI series win in New Zealand, 2-1: Back-to-back series wins, home and away-the high-water mark of Zimbabwe cricket history.
- 1997/98 ODI series draw at home, 1-1: First time Zimbabwe held New Zealand across a full home series.
- 2022 T20I win: Zimbabwe won 169/7 to 165/6-a confirmed result that shows their T20I squad can still produce match-winning performances.
FAQs:
Q1. What is the head-to-head record between Zimbabwe and New Zealand in Tests?
A1. New Zealand have won 13 Tests, Zimbabwe have won 0, and 6 matches have ended in draws from 19 played. Zimbabwe have never beaten New Zealand in Test cricket.
Q2. What is the head-to-head record in ODIs?
A2. New Zealand lead 27–9 from 38 ODIs, with 1 tied and 1 no result. Zimbabwe’s 9 wins are concentrated in the 1998–2003 period, including back-to-back series victories in 2000/01.
Q3. What is the Zimbabwe vs New Zealand T20I head-to-head record?
A3. New Zealand have won all 8 T20Is played between the two sides. Zimbabwe have yet to win a T20I against New Zealand.
Q4. What was New Zealand’s biggest Test win against Zimbabwe?
A4. New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 359 runs in the 2nd Test at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on August 7–9, 2025-the largest margin in New Zealand Test history and the third-largest in all of Test cricket.
Q5. Who took the best bowling figures on debut in this rivalry?
A5. Zakary Foulkes took 9/75 (4/38 and 5/37) across the 2nd Test in August 2025-the best bowling figures on debut by any New Zealand player in Test history.
Q6. When did Zimbabwe last beat New Zealand?
A6. Zimbabwe’s last win in any format against New Zealand was a 2022 T20I. Their last ODI series win was the 2000/01 home series, 2-1. They have never beaten New Zealand in a Test match.
Q7. Who is Zimbabwe’s top scorer against New Zealand in Tests?
A7. BRM Taylor is Zimbabwe’s top Test scorer in this rivalry, having appeared across 5 Tests against New Zealand between 2005 and 2025.
Q8. Who is New Zealand’s all-time highest ODI run-scorer against Zimbabwe?
A8. Chris Harris (CZ Harris) is New Zealand’s highest ODI run-scorer against Zimbabwe, playing 20 matches between 1992 and 2003.
Q9. What is the highest team total in Zimbabwe vs New Zealand Tests?
A9. New Zealand scored 601/3 declared in the 2nd Test at Bulawayo in August 2025-their highest total against Zimbabwe and one of the highest in their Test history.
Q10. Has Zimbabwe ever won a series against New Zealand in Tests?
A10. No. Zimbabwe have never won a Test series against New Zealand. Their best Test results have been draws. Their most competitive period was in ODIs during 2000/01, when they won back-to-back series.
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