The rivalry between the New Zealand National Cricket Team and the South Africa National Cricket Team is known for its competitiveness, consistency, and high quality cricket across all formats, with both teams often ranked among the top sides in international cricket, where New Zealand is recognized for discipline and teamwork while South Africa is known for its aggressive pace attack and athletic fielding, and the standings between these two teams reflect a closely fought battle with slight advantages shifting depending on conditions, format, and recent performances.
Last 15 Recent International Matches
S.No.
Date
Format
Venue
Match Details
Result & Score
Winner
1
25 Mar 2026
T20I
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
SA vs NZ (5th T20I)
SA 187/4 beat NZ 154/8
South Africa
2
22 Mar 2026
T20I
Wellington Regional Stadium
SA vs NZ (4th T20I)
SA 164/5 beat NZ 145
South Africa
3
20 Mar 2026
T20I
Eden Park, Auckland
NZ vs SA (3rd T20I)
NZ 137/2 beat SA 136/9
New Zealand
4
17 Mar 2026
T20I
Seddon Park, Hamilton
NZ vs SA (2nd T20I)
NZ 175/6 beat SA 107
New Zealand
5
15 Mar 2026
T20I
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
NZ vs SA (1st T20I)
SA 93/3 beat NZ 91
South Africa
6
04 Mar 2026
T20I (WC SF)
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
NZ vs SA
NZ 173/1 beat SA 169/8 (9 wkts)
New Zealand
7
14 Feb 2026
T20I (WC Group)
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
SA vs NZ
SA 178/3 beat NZ 175/7 (7 wkts)
South Africa
8
05 Mar 2025
ODI (Champions Trophy SF)
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
SA vs NZ
NZ 362/6 beat SA 312/9 (50 runs)
New Zealand
9
10 Feb 2025
ODI
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
NZ vs SA
NZ 308/4 beat SA 304/6 (6 wkts)
New Zealand
10
01 Nov 2023
ODI (WC)
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
NZ vs SA
SA 357/4 beat NZ 167 (190 runs)
South Africa
11
13 Feb 2024
Test
Seddon Park, Hamilton
NZ vs SA (2nd Test)
NZ won by 7 wickets
New Zealand
12
04 Feb 2024
Test
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
NZ vs SA (1st Test)
NZ won by 281 runs
New Zealand
13
25 Feb 2022
Test
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
NZ vs SA (2nd Test)
SA won by 198 runs
South Africa
14
17 Feb 2022
Test
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
NZ vs SA (1st Test)
NZ won by an innings & 276 runs
New Zealand
15
19 Jun 2019
ODI (WC)
Edgbaston, Birmingham
NZ vs SA
NZ beat SA (margin not in recent focus but historic win)
New Zealand
ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings
Rank
Team
Matches
Points
Rating
1
India
85
23,224
273
2
England
56
14,522
259
3
Australia
49
12,645
258
4
New Zealand
71
17,692
249
5
South Africa
69
16,932
245
6
Pakistan
84
20,002
238
7
West Indies
74
17,424
235
8
Sri Lanka
60
13,593
227
ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings
Rank
Team
Matches
Points
Rating
1
India
45
5,377
119
2
New Zealand
47
5,370
114
3
Australia
38
4,134
109
4
Pakistan
44
4,475
102
5
South Africa
41
4,022
98
6
Sri Lanka
47
4,600
98
7
Afghanistan
28
2,657
95
8
England
43
3,782
88
ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings
Rank
Team
Matches
Points
Rating
1
Australia
36
4,604
128
2
South Africa
31
3,581
116
3
England
46
5,013
109
4
India
39
4,064
104
5
New Zealand
29
2,839
98
6
Sri Lanka
27
2,364
88
7
Pakistan
25
2,050
82
Head to Head Standings Overview
The head to head standings between New Zealand and South Africa show a balanced rivalry where South Africa historically holds a slight edge in Tests and ODIs due to strong performances over the years, while New Zealand has closed the gap significantly with consistent results and improved performances in recent times, especially in home conditions and ICC events, making the overall standings competitive and reflective of two evenly matched cricketing nations.
Format
Matches Played
New Zealand Wins
South Africa Wins
Draw No Result
Tests
45 plus
Competitive
Slightly higher
Some
ODIs
70 plus
Close
Slightly higher
Few
T20Is
20 plus
Balanced
Balanced
Few
Overall
130 plus
Competitive
Slight edge
Limited
Recent
Last 10
Slight edge
Close
Few
ICC Rankings and Current Position
The International Cricket Council rankings consistently place both New Zealand and South Africa among the top teams in world cricket, with New Zealand excelling in Tests and maintaining strong positions in ODIs and T20Is due to consistent performances, while South Africa also remains in the top tier with a powerful squad and match winning ability, making their standings comparison a reflection of elite level competition.
Format
New Zealand Rank
South Africa Rank
Strength NZ
Strength SA
Trend
Tests
Top tier
Top tier
Discipline
Pace attack
Stable
ODIs
Top tier
Top tier
Balance
Power
Stable
T20Is
Top tier
Top tier
Consistency
Aggression
Rising
Overall
Elite
Elite
Teamwork
Depth
Strong
Trend
Consistent
Competitive
Strategy
Intensity
Positive
Recent Series Results and Trends
Recent series between New Zealand and South Africa have been highly competitive with both teams sharing victories across formats, where New Zealand has often performed strongly at home using favorable conditions while South Africa has delivered strong performances with its pace attack and batting depth, and these results have played a major role in shaping current standings by influencing rankings and confidence levels.
Year
Series Type
Winner
Margin
Key Highlight
2024
Test Series
Draw
1 1
Balanced games
2023
ODI Series
New Zealand
2 1
Close contests
2022
T20 Series
South Africa
2 1
Strong finish
2021
Test Series
New Zealand
2 0
Home dominance
2019
ODI Series
South Africa
3 2
Competitive
Key Players Influencing Standings
Player performances have a significant impact on standings between these teams, with New Zealand relying on consistent contributors who perform as a unit while South Africa depends on explosive match winners and a strong bowling lineup, and this difference in approach makes individual and team performances equally important in determining match outcomes and overall standings.
Team
Batsman
Bowler
All Rounder
X Factor Player
New Zealand
Kane Williamson
Trent Boult
Mitchell Santner
Devon Conway
South Africa
Temba Bavuma
Kagiso Rabada
Marco Jansen
Aiden Markram
New Zealand
Daryl Mitchell
Tim Southee
Glenn Phillips
Rachin Ravindra
South Africa
Quinton de Kock
Anrich Nortje
Andile Phehlukwayo
Heinrich Klaasen
Combined
Top performers
Strike bowlers
Game changers
Impact players
Performance in ICC Tournaments
Performance in ICC tournaments plays a crucial role in shaping standings, with New Zealand known for consistent appearances in finals and semi finals while South Africa has also delivered strong performances but has faced challenges in knockout matches, making their encounters in global tournaments significant for rankings and reputation.
Tournament
New Zealand Record
South Africa Record
Best NZ Result
Best SA Result
ODI World Cup
Strong
Strong
Finalist
Semi finalist
T20 World Cup
Finalist
Competitive
Finalist
Semi finalist
Test Championship
Winner
Competitive
Champion
Contender
Champions Trophy
Competitive
Strong
Runner up
Winner
Overall ICC
Consistent
Competitive
High ranking
Strong presence
Home and Away Standings Analysis
Home and away conditions significantly influence standings between New Zealand and South Africa, with New Zealand performing strongly in seam friendly home conditions while South Africa dominates in its own pace friendly environments, and neutral venues often provide balanced contests where both teams have equal opportunities to succeed.
Venue Type
New Zealand Wins
South Africa Wins
Advantage Team
Key Condition
Impact Level
New Zealand
High
Moderate
New Zealand
Swing seam
High
South Africa
Moderate
High
South Africa
Pace bounce
High
Neutral
Balanced
Balanced
Even
Mixed
Medium
Asia
Competitive
Competitive
Even
Spin balance
Medium
Overall
Competitive
Slight edge
South Africa
Adaptability
High
Future Outlook of Standings
The future standings between New Zealand and South Africa are expected to remain closely contested as both teams continue to build strong squads and focus on consistency, with New Zealand relying on structured gameplay and South Africa emphasizing aggressive cricket, ensuring that upcoming series and tournaments will continue to influence standings in a highly competitive manner.
Factor
New Zealand Advantage
South Africa Advantage
Overall Impact
Future Trend
Competition Level
Consistency
High
Moderate
Strong
Stable
High
Squad Depth
Balanced
Strong
Key
Improving
High
Pace Attack
Moderate
Very strong
Decisive
Stable
High
Team Strategy
Strong
Aggressive
Important
Evolving
High
Growth Potential
Consistent
High
Long term
Rising
High
Conclusion
The standings between New Zealand and South Africa highlight a rivalry built on balance, skill, and competitive spirit, where both teams have maintained strong positions in international cricket, and while South Africa holds a slight historical advantage, New Zealand’s consistency and recent performances have made the rivalry more even, ensuring that future encounters will continue to be closely fought and significant in shaping global cricket standings.
