NZ vs PAK: Head-to-Head, Results & Cricket History

NZ vs PAK means New Zealand vs Pakistan in international cricket. The two teams have a long history across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. 

Pakistan lead the overall historical record in Tests and ODIs, while their T20I record is much closer. Recent meetings, however, have strongly favored New Zealand, particularly during 2025.

Key Takeaways

• NZ vs PAK is shorthand for New Zealand vs Pakistan cricket.
• Pakistan lead the historical Test and ODI records.
• Pakistan also have a narrow T20I advantage, with 24 wins to New Zealand’s 23.
• New Zealand dominated the teams’ major 2025 meetings.
• Their latest meeting, at the 2026 T20 World Cup, ended as a no-result because of rain.

What Does NZ vs PAK Mean?

When cricket fans search for NZ vs PAK, they are usually looking for information about a match or rivalry between the New Zealand and Pakistan national cricket teams.

“NZ” is the common abbreviation for New Zealand, while “PAK” represents Pakistan. You will see these abbreviations on scorecards, schedules, live-score pages, television graphics, and cricket websites.

The matchup can refer to any of the three major men’s international formats:

• Test cricket
• One Day Internationals (ODIs)
• Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is)

Because the teams have played many times in different formats, there is no single statistic that completely describes the rivalry. A team can lead in one format while trailing in another.

NZ vs PAK Head-to-Head Record

The historical record gives Pakistan the advantage, but the margins are not the same in every format.

Format	Matches	New Zealand Wins	Pakistan Wins	Other Results
Tests	62	14	25	23 draws
ODIs	122	57	61	1 tie, 3 no-results
T20Is	50	23	24	3 no-results

The Test figures run through January 2023, the ODI record through April 2025, and the T20I record through the February 2026 World Cup meeting.

Test Record

Pakistan have the clearer historical advantage in Test cricket.

The teams have played 62 Tests. Pakistan have won 25, New Zealand have won 14, and 23 have ended in draws.

However, the older record does not tell the whole story. New Zealand produced two strong Test victories during their 2020–21 home series. The most recent two Tests, played in Pakistan in December 2022 and January 2023, both ended in draws.

So, while Pakistan lead the all-time Test numbers, New Zealand have been much more competitive in the modern era.

ODI Record

The ODI rivalry is much tighter.

New Zealand and Pakistan have played 122 ODIs. Pakistan have won 61 and New Zealand 57. One match was tied and three produced no result.

New Zealand’s recent ODI results against Pakistan have been particularly impressive. In their three-match 2025 ODI series, New Zealand won all three games.

That included victories by 73 runs, 84 runs, and 43 runs. The results gave New Zealand a clean sweep and showed how much the recent balance had shifted.

T20I Record

T20I cricket provides perhaps the closest NZ vs PAK rivalry.

After 50 meetings, Pakistan have 24 wins and New Zealand have 23. Three matches have ended without a result.

The latest meeting was scheduled for February 21, 2026, during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super Eight stage. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, but rain prevented the match from starting. Both teams received one point.

That means the latest meeting does not count as a win for either side.

NZ vs PAK: Who Has the Better Overall Record?

If you look only at historical victories, Pakistan have the stronger overall record.

Pakistan lead New Zealand in:

• Test wins: 25–14
• ODI wins: 61–57
• T20I wins: 24–23

But saying Pakistan have dominated the entire rivalry would be misleading.

New Zealand’s recent performances have changed the picture. They won major meetings against Pakistan throughout 2025, including the ODI series in New Zealand and the earlier ODI matches in Pakistan.

This creates an important distinction:

Pakistan have the stronger historical record, while New Zealand have had the stronger recent run in several formats.

Recent NZ vs PAK Results

The recent history is especially useful for fans who want to know which team currently has the momentum.

2025 T20I Series

New Zealand hosted Pakistan for a five-match T20I series in March 2025.

New Zealand won the first two matches, Pakistan won the third, and New Zealand won the final two. The series therefore finished 4–1 in New Zealand’s favor.

The fourth T20I was particularly one-sided, with New Zealand winning by 115 runs. In the fifth match, New Zealand chased Pakistan’s 128/9 with 131/2.

2025 ODI Series

The teams then played three ODIs in New Zealand.

New Zealand won every match:

• 1st ODI: New Zealand won by 73 runs
• 2nd ODI: New Zealand won by 84 runs
• 3rd ODI: New Zealand won by 43 runs

New Zealand also defeated Pakistan in important ODI meetings earlier in 2025, including the Champions Trophy group match in Karachi and the ODI tri-series final.

These results explain why recent NZ vs PAK searches often focus on New Zealand’s winning run rather than the older Pakistan advantage.

2026 T20 World Cup Meeting

The most recent NZ vs PAK match came during the Super Eight stage of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The game was scheduled at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo on February 21, 2026.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, but persistent rain prevented play. The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled, and both teams received one point.

Therefore, there was no winning team and no individual player-of-the-match performance from that fixture.

Why New Zealand Has Had the Edge Recently

Recent results suggest that New Zealand have handled Pakistan particularly well in white-ball cricket.

One reason is balance. New Zealand have regularly combined aggressive batting with reliable seam bowling and useful all-round options.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have traditionally possessed dangerous fast bowlers and explosive batters. Their strongest performances often come when their top-order batting and pace attack operate together.

The difference between the teams can therefore change quickly in limited-overs cricket.

A short spell of high-quality bowling can completely alter a T20 match, while an aggressive opening partnership can put an ODI chase under control.

That unpredictability is one reason NZ vs PAK remains an attractive matchup for cricket fans.

NZ vs PAK in Major Cricket Tournaments

The rivalry has appeared in several major ICC competitions over the years.

Their meetings have included:

• ODI World Cup matches
• T20 World Cup matches
• Champions Trophy matches
• Bilateral ODI series
• Bilateral T20I series
• Test series

One of the best-known historical encounters came in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, when Pakistan defeated New Zealand in the semifinal before going on to win the tournament.

More recently, New Zealand defeated Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy group stage.

This tournament history gives NZ vs PAK more importance than a simple bilateral matchup. Both teams have frequently met when tournament qualification, knockout places, or group points are at stake.

Key Players and Matchup Factors

NZ vs PAK matches can be difficult to predict because both teams have traditionally produced high-level batters, fast bowlers, spinners, wicketkeepers, and all-rounders.

New Zealand’s Strengths

New Zealand’s biggest advantages often include:

• Strong seam bowling
• Flexible batting combinations
• Reliable fielding
• Experienced all-rounders
• Adaptability in international tournaments

Their bowling attack can be especially effective when conditions provide movement for fast bowlers.

Pakistan’s Strengths

Pakistan’s traditional strengths include:

• High-quality pace bowling
• Powerful stroke-makers
• Wrist and finger spin options
• Aggressive T20 batting
• Ability to produce match-winning individual performances

Pakistan can be particularly dangerous when their fast bowlers strike early and their top order builds momentum.

NZ vs PAK: What Should Fans Watch For?

When these teams meet, several factors can influence the result.

Pitch conditions are important. A green or seam-friendly surface can favor New Zealand’s pace attack, while a slower pitch may bring spinners and change-of-pace bowlers into the game.

The powerplay is another major factor in T20 and ODI cricket. Early wickets can put either side under pressure.

Middle-over batting matters as well. Teams need to rotate the strike while still finding boundaries.

Finally, death-over execution can decide close limited-overs matches. A few successful overs with the ball or a burst of boundaries with the bat can change the result very quickly.

FAQs:

Who has won more NZ vs PAK matches?

Pakistan have the stronger historical record. They lead New Zealand 25–14 in Tests, 61–57 in ODIs, and 24–23 in T20Is. However, New Zealand have enjoyed a stronger recent period, particularly in their 2025 white-ball meetings.

Who won the latest NZ vs PAK match?

Neither team won the latest meeting. New Zealand and Pakistan played their most recent scheduled match on February 21, 2026, during the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage. Persistent rain caused the match to be abandoned without a ball being bowled, so both teams received one point.

How many T20Is have NZ and PAK played?

New Zealand and Pakistan have played 50 men’s T20Is. Pakistan have won 24, New Zealand have won 23, and three matches have ended without a result.

When did NZ and PAK last play an ODI?

Their most recent ODI meeting was on April 5, 2025, at Bay Oval in New Zealand. New Zealand scored 264/8 and defeated Pakistan by 43 runs. It completed a 3–0 ODI series sweep for New Zealand.

Is NZ vs PAK a major cricket rivalry?

Yes. New Zealand and Pakistan have a long international cricket history spanning Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. They have also met in major ICC tournaments, making the matchup significant for fans in both countries and for international cricket audiences.

Conclusion:

NZ vs PAK is one of international cricket’s long-running matchups. Pakistan hold the historical advantage in Test, ODI, and T20I victories, but recent results have favored New Zealand.

The 2025 meetings were especially one-sided, with New Zealand winning their five-match T20I series 4–1 and sweeping the three-match ODI series 3–0.

The latest 2026 T20 World Cup meeting produced no result because of rain, leaving the T20I rivalry extremely close.

For that reason, the best way to understand NZ vs PAK is to look at both sides of the story: Pakistan’s historical record and New Zealand’s recent momentum.

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