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The Sri Lanka national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline stretches back to 1979, and it’s one of the more balanced rivalries in world cricket. Neither side has ever dominated the other for long. New Zealand holds the bigger overall win count, but Sri Lanka has landed some of the most memorable punches: a World Cup semi-final win in 2007, a Test series clean-sweep in Galle in 2024, and a habit of turning up in New Zealand and winning on their patch.
They first crossed paths at the 1979 World Cup in England, when New Zealand won by 9 wickets at Trent Bridge. Since then, the two teams have played each other in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, across World Cups, a Champions Trophy final, and dozens of bilateral series in both countries.
This rivalry matters because both boards lean on it. New Zealand often uses Sri Lanka as an early-season litmus test on seaming pitches, and Sri Lanka has historically used New Zealand tours to expose its batters to bounce and swing they don’t see at home. The result: closely fought Tests, tight ODI run-chases, and, more recently, some brutal T20I finishes.
Below, you’ll find the full Sri Lanka vs New Zealand head-to-head record broken down by format, a year-by-year timeline, World Cup meetings, record books, key players, and answers to the questions people search for most about this fixture.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline
First ODI meeting
The first ODI between the two sides was played on 9 June 1979, in the group stage of the Prudential World Cup at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. New Zealand won by 9 wickets. It was Sri Lanka’s second-ever World Cup and their cricket board’s first real exposure to a fully professional New Zealand side.
First Test match
Sri Lanka toured New Zealand for their maiden Test series in March 1983. New Zealand won the 1st Test at Christchurch by an innings and 25 runs, then took the 2nd Test at Wellington by 6 wickets to sweep the series 2-0. Sri Lanka’s batting, still finding its feet at Test level, struggled against the seam and bounce on offer.
First T20 International
The two teams played their first T20I on 22 December 2006 at Westpac Stadium, Wellington. Sri Lanka won by 18 runs under the D/L method, a result that looked ahead of its time given how long it took bilateral T20I cricket to become a regular fixture between them.
1990s rivalry
The 1990s were where Sri Lanka announced themselves as a genuine Test-match threat to New Zealand. After three drawn Tests in Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland in 1990-91, Sri Lanka beat New Zealand for the first time in December 1992 at the SSC ground in Colombo, winning by 9 wickets. In March 1995, Arjuna Ranatunga’s side won their first-ever overseas Test, thrashing New Zealand by 241 runs at Napier, and sealed their first overseas series win in the same tour. New Zealand hit back hard in 1996-97, winning both Tests of a Dunedin-Hamilton series, including an innings-and-36-run win built on 586 for 7 declared.
2000-2010 important matches
This decade produced Sri Lanka’s most famous win over New Zealand in a World Cup: the 2007 semi-final at Sabina Park, Jamaica, where Sri Lanka defended 289 for 5 to win by 81 runs and reach the final. On the Test side, Sri Lanka won 2-0 in Colombo in 2009-10, backed by centuries and a strong home spin attack, while New Zealand claimed away Test wins in 2005 and 2006-07.
2011-2020 memorable encounters
New Zealand’s rise under Brendon McCullum and later Kane Williamson showed up clearly in this decade. They won Test series in New Zealand in 2014-15 and 2015-16, both 2-0, and followed up with a heavy 423-run innings win at Hagley Oval in December 2018, New Zealand’s eighth-biggest Test victory by runs in their history. Sri Lanka answered in August 2019, winning at Galle by six wickets to level that series 1-1.
2021-present latest series
New Zealand won 2-0 in Christchurch and Wellington in March 2022-23. Sri Lanka reversed that completely in September 2024, sweeping New Zealand 2-0 at Galle, including an innings-and-154-run demolition built on 602 for 5 declared, Sri Lanka’s highest team total against New Zealand on record. In February 2026, the two sides met again in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super Eights in Colombo, where New Zealand chased down 168 with room to spare, winning by 61 runs and knocking hosts Sri Lanka out of their own tournament.
Recent match results
| Year | Tournament/Series | Winner | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Bilateral Test series | New Zealand | Christchurch & Wellington | New Zealand won 2-0 |
| 2023 | ICC Cricket World Cup | New Zealand | Bengaluru | New Zealand won by 10 wickets |
| 2024 (Sept) | Bilateral Test series | Sri Lanka | Galle | Sri Lanka won 2-0 |
| 2024-25 (Nov-Jan) | Bilateral ODI/T20I series | Mixed | Sri Lanka & New Zealand | Series shared across formats |
| 2025 (Jan) | Final ODI, NZ tour | Sri Lanka | Eden Park, Auckland | Sri Lanka won by 140 runs |
| 2025 (Jan) | Final T20I, NZ tour | New Zealand | Saxton Oval, Nelson | New Zealand won by 45 runs |
| 2026 (Feb) | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Super Eights | New Zealand | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | New Zealand won by 61 runs |
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Head-to-Head Record
Test record
| Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | New Zealand Wins | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 13 | 18 | 11 |
ODI record
| Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | New Zealand Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 44 | 54 | 9 (plus 1 tie) |
T20I record
| Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | New Zealand Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 9 | 17 | 1 (plus 2 ties) |
New Zealand leads across all three formats, but the gap is narrowest in ODIs, where Sri Lanka has won 44 of 108 completed contests. That’s the format where this rivalry has genuinely felt like a coin flip for over two decades.
Read More : Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team timeline
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test Match Timeline
Historic victories: Sri Lanka’s first win over New Zealand came in December 1992 at the SSC in Colombo, by 9 wickets. New Zealand’s biggest win by runs came in December 2018 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, by 423 runs.
Highest team totals: Sri Lanka’s 602 for 5 declared at Galle in September 2024 is the highest total either side has posted in this fixture. New Zealand’s best is 586 for 7 declared, made at Dunedin in March 1997.
Lowest totals: New Zealand were bowled out for 88 at Galle in September 2024, their lowest total against Sri Lanka on record. Sri Lanka’s lowest was 93, at Wellington in March 1983, on their first-ever tour.
Closest matches: New Zealand’s 1st Test win at Christchurch in 2022-23 came by just 2 wickets, one of the tightest finishes in the series’ Test history.
Famous Test performances: New Zealand’s 467-run third-wicket stand between Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe at Wellington in 1991 remains New Zealand’s third-highest Test partnership ever, against any opponent. Sri Lanka’s 602 for 5 declared in 2024, built around big first-innings runs, set up the innings-and-154-run win that headlined their 2-0 sweep.
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand ODI Timeline
First ODI: 9 June 1979, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Prudential World Cup) — New Zealand won by 9 wickets.
ICC World Cup meetings: The teams have met in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups in 1979, 1983 (twice), 1992, 1996, 2003, 2007 (twice, including the semi-final), 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. New Zealand and Sri Lanka have split these fairly evenly across the tournament’s history, with each side winning a near-equal share of completed group and knockout games.
Champions Trophy clashes: Sri Lanka did not qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, having finished ninth at the 2023 World Cup. New Zealand went on to reach the final, losing to India by four wickets in Dubai.
Bilateral series history: New Zealand and Sri Lanka have toured each other regularly since the early 1980s, with tours in both directions roughly every two to three years. Recent bilateral white-ball tours include New Zealand’s visit to Sri Lanka in late 2024 and Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand in January 2025, which closed with Sri Lanka winning the final ODI at Eden Park by 140 runs.
Biggest victories: New Zealand’s ODI World Cup total of 331 against Sri Lanka is the highest score posted by either side in a World Cup meeting between them; Sri Lanka’s best World Cup total against New Zealand is 289.
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand T20I Timeline
First T20I: 22 December 2006, Westpac Stadium, Wellington — Sri Lanka won by 18 runs (D/L method).
ICC T20 World Cup matches: The most recent, and highest-profile, T20I between the sides came at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super Eights in Colombo on 25 February 2026. New Zealand posted 168 for 7, built on a record 84-run seventh-wicket stand between Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie (the highest seventh-wicket partnership in T20 World Cup history), before bowling Sri Lanka out for 107 to win by 61 runs and eliminate the hosts.
Bilateral T20I series: New Zealand has generally had the upper hand in bilateral T20I cricket between the two, winning 17 of the 29 T20Is played since 2006.
Super Over games: No Sri Lanka vs New Zealand T20I has gone to a Super Over as of July 2026.
Recent T20I series: New Zealand won the final T20I of Sri Lanka’s January 2025 tour of New Zealand by 45 runs at Saxton Oval, Nelson, and followed it up a year later with the World Cup win in Colombo.
ICC Tournament History
Cricket World Cup
Sri Lanka and New Zealand have met at almost every edition of the World Cup since 1979, most notably in the 2007 semi-final, where Sri Lanka won by 81 runs on their way to the final. New Zealand won their most recent World Cup meeting, in 2023, by 10 wickets.
Champions Trophy
Sri Lanka co-won the 2002 Champions Trophy alongside India but has not faced New Zealand directly in a Champions Trophy knockout. Sri Lanka missed the 2025 edition entirely after failing to qualify.
T20 World Cup
The sides have met at multiple T20 World Cups, with the February 2026 Super Eights clash in Colombo the most consequential, since it ended Sri Lanka’s tournament as co-hosts.
World Test Championship
Both teams have competed in every cycle of the World Test Championship since its 2019-21 launch, though Sri Lanka’s series wins over New Zealand in 2019 and 2024 have been among their better WTC results against a top-four ranked opponent.
Tri-series & other ICC events
Sri Lanka and New Zealand have also crossed paths in various tri-nation and multi-team ODI tournaments over the years, including editions hosted in Sri Lanka, though these rarely draw the same attention as bilateral or World Cup fixtures.
Memorable Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Matches
1992 World Cup, Sri Lanka vs New Zealand: Sri Lanka’s early-1990s World Cup campaigns were built on moments like this fixture, part of their gradual rise before the 1996 title. New Zealand, playing at home under Martin Crowe’s tactical, spin-up-front approach, were among the tournament’s form team. Turning point: New Zealand’s use of part-time spin to open the bowling unsettled sides throughout that World Cup, Sri Lanka included.
2007 World Cup semi-final, Sabina Park, Jamaica: Sri Lanka posted 289 for 5, with Mahela Jayawardene’s 77 anchoring the innings, then bowled New Zealand out to win by 81 runs and reach their second World Cup final. Player of the Match: Mahela Jayawardene. Turning point: A middle-overs partnership that pushed Sri Lanka past 280, a total New Zealand’s chase never got close to.
2015 World Cup, Sri Lanka vs New Zealand: New Zealand won this pool match by 98 runs at home in front of a raucous Christchurch crowd, part of an unbeaten group stage that carried them all the way to the final. Turning point: New Zealand’s fast, aggressive batting approach in the powerplay, a style that reshaped how the hosts played all tournament.
2019 series, Galle: Sri Lanka won the first Test of the series by six wickets, chasing 269, before New Zealand hit back with an innings-and-65-run win in the second Test to level the series 1-1. Turning point: Sri Lanka’s spin-friendly Galle surface, which favoured the home side in the first Test before flattening out.
2023 World Cup, Bengaluru: New Zealand chased down Sri Lanka’s total inside 24 overs to win by 10 wickets, part of a tournament in which Trent Boult became New Zealand’s first bowler to reach 50 World Cup wickets. Turning point: An early flurry of wickets from Boult that never let Sri Lanka’s innings build any momentum.
Latest bilateral series, Galle, September 2024: Sri Lanka won both Tests, including a 602 for 5 declared and an innings-and-154-run win in the second Test, their most emphatic result over New Zealand in the fixture’s Test history. Turning point: A first-innings total New Zealand simply had no answer for on a used Galle surface.
Highest Team Scores
| Team | Score | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 602/5d | Galle | 2024 |
| New Zealand | 586/7d | Dunedin | 1997 |
| New Zealand | 580/4d | Wellington | 2022-23 |
| New Zealand | 578 | Wellington | 2018-19 |
| New Zealand | 561 | Napier | 2004-05 |
Table covers Test cricket, where full scorecards are consistently documented across the fixture’s history.
Lowest Team Scores
| Team | Score | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 88 | Galle | 2024 |
| Sri Lanka | 93 | Wellington | 1983 |
| Sri Lanka | 97 | Kandy | 1984 |
| New Zealand | 102 | Colombo (SSC) | 1992-93 |
| Sri Lanka | 104 | Christchurch | 2018-19 |
Records and Statistics
Some quick facts from across the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand rivalry, drawn from confirmed Test, ODI and World Cup records:
- Highest partnership: 467, Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe (New Zealand), Wellington, 1991 — still New Zealand’s third-highest Test stand of all time.
- Highest World Cup team total: 331, New Zealand.
- Highest World Cup team total (Sri Lanka): 289.
- Lowest World Cup team total: 136 (Sri Lanka) and 137 (New Zealand).
- Biggest Test win by runs: 423, New Zealand, Christchurch, 2018-19.
- Biggest Test win by an innings: Innings and 154 runs, Sri Lanka, Galle, 2024.
- Record T20 World Cup partnership involving either side: 84, Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie (New Zealand), Colombo, 2026 — the highest seventh-wicket stand in T20 World Cup history.
Some categories from the outline, like an all-format leading run-scorer or leading wicket-taker specifically restricted to Sri Lanka vs New Zealand matches, aren’t maintained as a single, regularly published statistic by ESPNcricinfo or the ICC. Rather than invent precise figures, it’s worth noting the players who consistently show up in match reports across this rivalry: Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene for Sri Lanka’s batting, Muttiah Muralitharan for Sri Lanka’s bowling, and Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Tim Southee for New Zealand.
Biggest Victories
By runs
| Team | Margin | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 423 runs | Christchurch (Hagley Oval) | 2018-19 |
| Sri Lanka | 241 runs | Napier | 1994-95 |
| Sri Lanka | 217 runs | Wellington | 2006-07 |
| Sri Lanka | 202 runs | Colombo (P Sara) | 2009-10 |
By wickets
| Team | Margin | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 10 wickets | Galle | 2012-13 |
| New Zealand | 10 wickets | Bengaluru (World Cup) | 2023 |
| Sri Lanka | 9 wickets | Colombo (SSC) | 1992-93 |
| New Zealand | 9 wickets | Trent Bridge (World Cup) | 1979 |
Captains in the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Rivalry
New Zealand’s most successful captain against Sri Lanka across formats is generally considered to be Kane Williamson, who led the side through the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2018-19 series sweeps at home. For Sri Lanka, Arjuna Ranatunga’s early-1990s captaincy delivered the side’s breakthrough series win in New Zealand in 1994-95, a genuine turning point for Sri Lankan cricket overseas. On the white-ball side, Mitchell Santner has captained New Zealand through their most recent T20I and ODI meetings with Sri Lanka, including the 2026 T20 World Cup win in Colombo.
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Timeline by Year
- 1979 – First ODI meeting, Trent Bridge (World Cup)
- 1983 – First Test series, New Zealand win 2-0
- 1992 – Sri Lanka’s first Test win over New Zealand, Colombo
- 1995 – Sri Lanka’s first overseas Test win and series win, Napier
- 2006 – First T20I, Wellington
- 2007 – Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final, Sabina Park
- 2014-15 / 2015-16 – New Zealand sweep back-to-back home Test series
- 2018-19 – New Zealand’s record 423-run Test win, Christchurch
- 2019 – Sri Lanka win at Galle to level the series
- 2022-23 – New Zealand sweep the Test series at home
- 2023 – New Zealand win the World Cup meeting by 10 wickets
- 2024 – Sri Lanka sweep New Zealand 2-0 at Galle, including a 602/5d total
- 2025 – Sri Lanka win the final ODI of New Zealand’s white-ball tour at Eden Park
- 2026 – New Zealand beat Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup Super Eights, Colombo
Key Players in the Rivalry
Sri Lanka
- Kumar Sangakkara
- Mahela Jayawardene
- Sanath Jayasuriya
- Muttiah Muralitharan
- Lasith Malinga
- Wanindu Hasaranga
New Zealand
- Kane Williamson
- Ross Taylor
- Brendon McCullum
- Martin Guptill
- Trent Boult
- Tim Southee
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Sri Lanka and New Zealand first play each other?
On 9 June 1979, at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, in the Prudential World Cup. New Zealand won by 9 wickets.
Who has won more matches between Sri Lanka and New Zealand?
New Zealand leads across all three formats: 18 Test wins to Sri Lanka’s 13, 54 ODI wins to 44, and 17 T20I wins to 9.
What is the head-to-head record in ODIs?
New Zealand have won 54 of 108 ODIs against Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka have won 44, one match tied, and nine ended without a result.
What is the Test record?
Of 42 Tests played, New Zealand have won 18, Sri Lanka 13, and 11 have been drawn.
What is the T20I record?
Of 29 T20Is played, New Zealand have won 17, Sri Lanka 9, two tied, and one without a result.
Which player has scored the most runs in this rivalry?
There’s no single official, regularly updated tally of runs scored specifically in Sri Lanka vs New Zealand matches. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are widely regarded as Sri Lanka’s most influential batters against New Zealand across formats.
Who has taken the most wickets?
Muttiah Muralitharan is Sri Lanka’s most decorated bowler in this fixture, particularly in home Tests. For New Zealand, Trent Boult and Tim Southee have been the most consistent wicket-takers across white-ball formats in the 2010s and 2020s.
What was the highest successful run chase?
In their World Cup meetings, New Zealand’s 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in 2023 stands out as their most comprehensive chase. Full, verified run-chase records specific to this bilateral fixture beyond World Cup matches aren’t consistently published in one place.
Which World Cup matches were played between Sri Lanka and New Zealand?
They’ve met at the 1979, 1983 (twice), 1992, 1996, 2003, 2007 (twice, including the semi-final), 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups.
When is the next Sri Lanka vs New Zealand match?
New Zealand are scheduled to host Sri Lanka for a full tour, including T20Is, ODIs and Tests, beginning in January 2027, as part of New Zealand Cricket’s announced home summer schedule.
Conclusion
Run the numbers, and New Zealand comes out ahead in every format: 18 Test wins to 13, 54 ODIs to 44, 17 T20Is to 9. But that scoreline undersells how competitive this rivalry has actually been. Sri Lanka has delivered some of its biggest wins, overseas Test breakthroughs, and World Cup shocks specifically against New Zealand, and New Zealand has needed its best cricket, not just home advantage, to hold the edge.
Recent form tilts things in an interesting direction. Sri Lanka’s 2024 Galle sweep was as dominant as anything either side has produced in this fixture, while New Zealand answered in February 2026 by knocking the hosts out of their own T20 World Cup. With a full New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka set for January 2027, the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline is about to add another chapter, and on recent evidence, it won’t be one-sided.
