Table of Contents
The New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs West Indies Cricket Team Timeline stretches back more than seven decades and includes some extraordinary chapters in Test cricket, World Cups, ODIs and T20Is. Their first official Test meetings came in 1952, when the West Indies won the opening match in Christchurch. Four years later, New Zealand recorded its first-ever Test victory against the West Indies at Eden Park, a result that also became New Zealand’s first Test win in international cricket.
Since then, the rivalry has moved through several different eras. The West Indies dominated many early encounters, while New Zealand gradually became increasingly competitive, particularly in home conditions. The matchup has produced Martin Guptill’s famous 237 in the 2015 World Cup, a five-run thriller in the 2019 World Cup, a dramatic T20 World Cup meeting in 2024, and a three-Test series in 2025 that New Zealand won 2-0.
The Rivalry Begins
The first official Test series between New Zealand and the West Indies took place in New Zealand during the 1951-52 season.
The opening Test was played at Lancaster Park in Christchurch from February 8 to 12, 1952. West Indies won by five wickets after New Zealand made 236 and 189. The visitors successfully chased the target after scoring 287 in their first innings.
The second Test at Eden Park was drawn.
West Indies dominated the batting, declaring at 546/6, with the match eventually ending without a result because there was not enough time to force a second New Zealand innings. The two-match series therefore finished 1-0 to the West Indies.
This series established the first official chapter in what became a long-running international matchup.
New Zealand Record Their First Test Victory
The 1955-56 series produced one of the most important moments in New Zealand cricket history.
West Indies won the first three Tests comfortably. The fourth Test at Eden Park was therefore expected to be another difficult assignment for the hosts.
Instead, New Zealand produced a historic performance.
John Reid scored 84 as New Zealand made 255. Tony MacGibbon and Harry Cave then helped dismiss West Indies for 145. New Zealand declared at 157/9 in the second innings, leaving the visitors needing 268.
West Indies collapsed to 77.
New Zealand won by 190 runs, securing its first-ever Test victory after 45 matches and 26 years as a Test-playing nation.
The result was much bigger than a single win. It became one of the defining moments in New Zealand cricket history.
1956 Test Series
| Test | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Carisbrook, Dunedin | West Indies won by an innings and 71 runs |
| 2nd | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | West Indies won by an innings and 64 runs |
| 3rd | Basin Reserve, Wellington | West Indies won by 9 wickets |
| 4th | Eden Park, Auckland | New Zealand won by 190 runs |
West Indies won the series 3-1, but the final Test became the historic turning point for New Zealand cricket.
The Series Is Shared
The teams met again in a three-Test series in New Zealand during 1968-69.
West Indies won the opening Test at Eden Park by five wickets.
New Zealand responded in the second Test at Wellington, winning by six wickets.
The third Test in Christchurch was drawn.
The series therefore finished 1-1, with one draw.
The result showed that the rivalry was becoming more competitive than it had been during the 1950s.
Five-Test Series Ends Without a Winner
The 1971-72 tour of the West Indies produced one of the most unusual Test series in the history of the matchup.
The two teams played five Tests.
All five matches were drawn.
That meant neither side won a single Test during the entire series.
The results reflected the conditions and style of Test cricket at the time. Long batting innings and defensive approaches made it difficult for either team to force a result.
For modern fans accustomed to aggressive Test cricket, a five-match series with five draws is particularly striking.
World Cup Era Begins
The first Cricket World Cup was held in England in 1975.
West Indies were already one of the world’s strongest limited-overs teams, and they defeated New Zealand by five wickets in a semifinal at The Oval.
The result was another indication of West Indies’ dominance in the early era of international limited-overs cricket.
West Indies went on to win the inaugural World Cup.
Another World Cup Meeting
New Zealand and West Indies met again at the 1979 World Cup.
West Indies won by 32 runs at Trent Bridge.
Clive Lloyd played an important role for the defending champions, who once again progressed deep into the tournament.
West Indies eventually won their second consecutive World Cup title.
The early World Cup record therefore heavily favored the Caribbean side.
A Famous Test Victory for New Zealand
New Zealand’s 1979-80 home series against West Indies produced one of the most famous Test finishes between the sides.
At Carisbrook in Dunedin, New Zealand chased 104 in the fourth innings and won by one wicket.
The match was extremely tense, with New Zealand reaching the target at 104/9.
New Zealand then drew the second and third Tests.
The result gave New Zealand a 1-0 series victory, one of the important early Test successes against the West Indies.
Richard Hadlee’s bowling was central to New Zealand’s rise during this period, and his performances would become increasingly important in subsequent series.
Another Split Test Series
The 1986-87 series in New Zealand produced three Tests.
The first ended in a draw.
West Indies won the second Test at Eden Park by 10 wickets.
New Zealand responded in Christchurch by winning the third Test by five wickets.
The series ended 1-1.
The two sides were now capable of trading victories rather than West Indies controlling the contest throughout.
World Cup: New Zealand Win at Home
The 1992 World Cup was hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand defeated West Indies by five wickets in Auckland.
Martin Crowe played a major role in the New Zealand batting effort, and the result helped the co-hosts progress through the competition.
The match represented another important World Cup chapter after West Indies had dominated their earlier encounters.
1999 World Cup: West Indies Respond
At the 1999 World Cup in England, the teams met at Southampton.
West Indies won by seven wickets.
Ridley Jacobs played an important innings in the chase, helping West Indies overcome New Zealand’s total.
The result demonstrated how the World Cup rivalry continued to move back and forth between the two sides.
2003 World Cup: New Zealand Win Again
The 2003 World Cup meeting took place in Port Elizabeth.
New Zealand defeated West Indies by 20 runs.
The result continued New Zealand’s strong run against the Caribbean side in major World Cup tournaments.
The Black Caps were becoming a regular knockout-stage team, while West Indies were beginning a transition away from the generation that had dominated international cricket during the 1970s and 1980s.
2015 World Cup: Martin Guptill’s 237
One of the greatest individual performances in this rivalry came in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final at Wellington.
New Zealand batted first and scored 393/6.
Martin Guptill produced an extraordinary unbeaten 237 from 163 balls. He became the first New Zealander to score a double century in ODI cricket, and his score was the highest individual innings in World Cup history at the time.
West Indies were eventually dismissed for 250.
New Zealand won by 143 runs and advanced to the semifinal.
Guptill’s innings included 24 fours and 11 sixes, combining power with remarkable consistency over 50 overs.
The match remains one of the defining individual performances in World Cup history.
2017-18: New Zealand Complete a Limited-Overs Sweep
The 2017-18 West Indies tour of New Zealand featured both ODIs and T20Is.
New Zealand won the ODI series 3-0.
The T20I series also went New Zealand’s way, finishing 2-0 with one match abandoned.
The results showed New Zealand’s strength across both limited-overs formats.
The team combined experienced players such as Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor with a strong group of pace bowlers.
2019 World Cup: A Five-Run Thriller
The 2019 World Cup produced another unforgettable New Zealand-West Indies match.
New Zealand scored 291/8 at Old Trafford.
West Indies appeared to be heading toward defeat before Carlos Brathwaite produced an extraordinary late innings.
Brathwaite scored 101 and almost completed an unlikely chase.
With West Indies needing six runs to win, Brathwaite hit the ball toward the boundary but was caught by Trent Boult near the long-on boundary.
New Zealand won by five runs.
The match became one of the most dramatic contests of the 2019 World Cup.
For New Zealand, the victory helped them advance toward the semifinal stage.
2020-21: New Zealand Dominate the T20I Series
The teams then played a three-match T20I series in New Zealand.
New Zealand won the series 2-0, with one match producing a no-result.
The series demonstrated the Black Caps’ strength in the shortest format at home.
New Zealand’s bowling attack was able to combine pace and spin effectively, while its batting lineup consistently produced enough scoring power during the middle and final overs.
2024 T20 World Cup: West Indies Win a Thriller
The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup produced another major chapter.
West Indies hosted New Zealand in a Group C match in Trinidad and Tobago on June 13.
New Zealand won the toss and bowled first.
West Indies struggled badly and fell to 76/7.
Sherfane Rutherford then produced a remarkable recovery, scoring an unbeaten 68 from 39 balls. His innings contained two fours and six sixes and lifted West Indies to 149/9.
New Zealand’s chase never fully developed.
Glenn Phillips scored 40, but West Indies’ bowlers continued taking wickets. Alzarri Joseph finished with 4/19 and Gudakesh Motie took 3/25.
New Zealand finished on 136/9.
West Indies won by 13 runs.
The victory helped West Indies advance to the second round, while New Zealand’s position in the tournament became much more difficult.
2025: New Zealand Dominate the Test Series
The most recent completed Test series between the teams came in New Zealand in December 2025.
The three-match series was part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
The opening Test at Hagley Oval ended in a draw.
New Zealand then won the second Test at Basin Reserve by nine wickets.
The third Test at Bay Oval produced a commanding New Zealand victory.
New Zealand won by 323 runs after posting 575/8 declared in the first innings and 306/2 declared in the second.
West Indies were dismissed for 420 in their first innings and 138 in their second.
The match also produced a major World Test Championship record.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway shared 323 for the first wicket. Latham scored 137, while Conway remained unbeaten on 178. The partnership became the highest opening stand in the history of the World Test Championship.
New Zealand won the series 2-0 with one draw. The result also moved New Zealand up the World Test Championship standings.
2025 Test Series
| Test | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | Christchurch | Drawn |
| 2nd Test | Wellington | New Zealand won by 9 wickets |
| 3rd Test | Mount Maunganui | New Zealand won by 323 runs |
The series demonstrated New Zealand’s ability to combine batting depth with sustained pressure from its bowling attack.
Major Timeline at a Glance
| Year | Format | Major Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Test | First Test series | West Indies won 1-0 |
| 1956 | Test | New Zealand’s first Test victory | New Zealand won by 190 runs |
| 1969 | Test | Three-Test series | 1-1, one draw |
| 1972 | Test | Five-Test series in West Indies | All five drawn |
| 1975 | World Cup | Semifinal | West Indies won |
| 1979 | World Cup | Group match | West Indies won |
| 1980 | Test | Dunedin thriller | New Zealand won by 1 wicket |
| 1987 | Test | Three-Test series | 1-1, one draw |
| 1992 | World Cup | Auckland | New Zealand won by 5 wickets |
| 1999 | World Cup | Southampton | West Indies won by 7 wickets |
| 2003 | World Cup | Port Elizabeth | New Zealand won by 20 runs |
| 2007 | World Cup | Antigua | New Zealand won by 7 wickets |
| 2015 | World Cup | Quarter-final | New Zealand won by 143 runs |
| 2017-18 | ODI/T20I | Limited-overs tour | NZ won both series |
| 2019 | World Cup | Manchester thriller | New Zealand won by 5 runs |
| 2020 | Test | Two-Test series | New Zealand won 2-0 |
| 2020-21 | T20I | Three-match series | New Zealand won 2-0 |
| 2022 | T20I | Three-match series | West Indies won 2-1 |
| 2024 | T20 World Cup | Group match | West Indies won by 13 runs |
| 2025 | Test | Three-match series | New Zealand won 2-0 |
Memorable Batting Performances
| Player | Year | Performance | Tournament/Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everton Weekes | 1956 | Multiple centuries during series | Test |
| John Reid | 1956 | 84 | Test |
| Martin Crowe | 1992 | 81 | World Cup |
| Martin Guptill | 2015 | 237* | World Cup |
| Carlos Brathwaite | 2019 | 101 | World Cup |
| Sherfane Rutherford | 2024 | 68* | T20 World Cup |
| Tom Latham | 2025 | 137 | Test |
| Devon Conway | 2025 | 178* | Test |
Guptill’s 237 remains the defining individual ODI performance in the rivalry. Rutherford’s unbeaten 68 in 2024 is another example of a player rescuing an innings from a difficult position.
Memorable Bowling Performances
Bowling has also been central to the rivalry.
Harry Cave’s spell in the 1956 Eden Park Test helped New Zealand dismiss West Indies for 77 and secure the country’s first Test victory.
Richard Hadlee later became one of New Zealand’s most important fast bowlers and played a major role in the team’s rise during the 1970s and 1980s.
In the modern era, New Zealand’s pace attack has repeatedly caused problems for West Indies, while Caribbean bowlers such as Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie have shown their ability to turn T20 matches quickly.
Joseph’s 4/19 and Motie’s 3/25 were crucial in West Indies’ 2024 T20 World Cup victory.
How the Rivalry Has Changed
The early history was heavily influenced by West Indies’ extraordinary Test strength.
During the 1950s, New Zealand struggled to compete consistently. The 1956 series showed the difference clearly: West Indies won the first three Tests before New Zealand secured a historic victory in the fourth.
The 1980s brought greater balance.
New Zealand began producing world-class bowlers and became increasingly difficult to defeat at home.
By the 1990s and 2000s, the ODI rivalry became more competitive, particularly during World Cup tournaments.
The 2015 and 2019 World Cup meetings then produced two very different but equally memorable New Zealand victories.
In the 2020s, the shortest format has added another dimension. West Indies’ 2024 T20 World Cup win showed the Caribbean side’s ability to recover from difficult situations through explosive batting and aggressive bowling.
Recent Head-to-Head Pattern
Recent results show that the balance varies significantly by format and venue.
New Zealand won the 2020 Test series 2-0 and followed it with strong T20I results.
West Indies won the 2022 T20I series 2-1.
The Caribbean side then defeated New Zealand by 13 runs at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
New Zealand responded in Test cricket by winning the 2025 series 2-0, with one draw.
This makes the rivalry particularly interesting because results cannot simply be understood through one format.
Key Turning Points
1956: New Zealand recorded its first Test victory in history against West Indies.
1980: New Zealand won a Test by one wicket in Dunedin, one of the closest finishes between the sides.
1992: New Zealand won a World Cup match against West Indies in Auckland.
2015: Martin Guptill scored 237 not out in the World Cup quarter-final.
2019: New Zealand survived Carlos Brathwaite’s century to win a World Cup thriller by five runs.
2020: New Zealand completed a 2-0 Test series sweep.
2022: West Indies won a T20I series 2-1.
2024: West Indies defeated New Zealand by 13 runs at the T20 World Cup.
2025: New Zealand won the Test series 2-0, including a 323-run victory in the third Test.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did New Zealand and West Indies first play each other?
The first official Test series between the teams took place in New Zealand during the 1951-52 season. West Indies won the first Test at Christchurch by five wickets, while the second Test at Auckland was drawn.
When did New Zealand record its first Test win against West Indies?
New Zealand’s first Test victory came on March 13, 1956, at Eden Park in Auckland. New Zealand defeated West Indies by 190 runs. It was also New Zealand’s first-ever Test victory after 45 matches.
What happened in the 2015 World Cup match between New Zealand and West Indies?
New Zealand won the 2015 World Cup quarter-final by 143 runs. Martin Guptill scored an unbeaten 237 from 163 balls, which at the time was the highest individual score in World Cup history.
What happened in the 2019 World Cup meeting?
New Zealand defeated West Indies by five runs at Old Trafford. Carlos Brathwaite scored 101 and nearly completed the chase, but he was caught near the boundary while attempting the winning six.
What happened in the latest completed Test series?
New Zealand hosted West Indies for three Tests in December 2025. The first Test was drawn, while New Zealand won the second by nine wickets and the third by 323 runs. New Zealand therefore won the series 2-0.
Conclusion
The New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs West Indies Cricket Team Timeline covers a remarkable period in international cricket, beginning with West Indies’ early Test dominance and developing into a highly competitive multi-format rivalry. New Zealand’s first Test victory in 1956 became a landmark in its cricket history, while later World Cup encounters produced unforgettable moments such as Martin Guptill’s 237 in 2015 and the five-run thriller in 2019. West Indies added another memorable chapter with its 13-run T20 World Cup victory in 2024. The latest Test series in 2025 again highlighted New Zealand’s strength in home conditions, ending 2-0 with one draw. Across generations, the rivalry has continued to produce historic performances, close finishes and important tournament moments.
