Based on respect for one another, shifting fortunes, and a few standout games, the rivalry between the national cricket teams of Sri Lanka and New Zealand has developed gradually. When both teams met for the Prudential World Cup in 1979, it was the beginning of it all. Even though the Black Caps were the more seasoned squad at the time, Sri Lanka soon proved they were a rising force. Since then, the two teams have faced off in Test matches, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20 matches, frequently bringing out the best in one another.
This rivalry may not have the fiery reputation of others in world cricket, but it has produced its fair share of drama, upsets, and thrilling performances. From Muttiah Muralitharan’s magical spells to Brendon McCullum’s blistering centuries, both nations have seen their cricketing heroes shine in these encounters. Over time, matches between Sri Lanka and New Zealand have become less about competition and more about tough, respectful cricket, where skill, endurance, and strategy take centre stage.
This rivalry is intriguing because it shows how both teams have changed over time. Both Sri Lanka and New Zealand have experienced triumphs and setbacks, frequently at each other’s hands, as they have progressed from underdogs to formidable competitors. Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline captures their key moments, unforgettable games, individual performances, and turning points that have shaped a quietly intense and ever-evolving cricketing relationship.
1979 to 1990: The Beginning of Rivalry
- 1979 Prudential World Cup- Both teams met in a rivalry in 1979. It was the second match of the Prudential World Cup held at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on 9th June, 1979. The Black Caps won over Sri Lanka by 9 wickets. New Zealand won the toss and elected to field. The Kiwis completed the run chase of 190 in 47.4 overs, thanks to Glenn Turner’s impressive innings of an unbeaten 83. Geoff Howarth, too, contributed with 63* to clinch victory for the Kiwis with just 1 wicket down.
- 1982-1983 New Zealand v Sri Lanka- In the 1982-1983 season, both teams met for their first Test match in Christchurch. In this match, New Zealand outplayed Sri Lanka, winning by an innings and 25 runs. Thanks to the stunning performance by Jeremy Coney (84 runs) and Warren Lees (89 runs), New Zealand won the match.
- 1983 Prudential World Cup- In the 18th match of the World Cup, held in Derby, the Lankan Lions won by 3 wickets over New Zealand. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl, inviting the Black Caps to bat. The Kiwis were bowled out for 181, while Sri Lanka amassed 184 with just 7 wickets down. Brendon Kuruppu (62) and Roy Dias (64*) were crucial batters for the Lankan Lions. Ashantha De Mel won the “Man of the Match” for his destructive bowling, smashing 5 Kiwi batters, including Glenn Turner, John Wright, and Warren Lees. This match is historic as it was the first victory of Sri Lanka against New Zealand, that too on a foreign land.
- In 1984-1985, the Benson & Hedges World Championship, the 4th match held in Melbourne, New Zealand, secured a big win over Sri Lanka by 51 runs. In this match, New Zealand scored 223 runs in 49 overs, while Sri Lanka scored only 172 runs in 42.4 overs. John Reid scoring 62 runs, a half century, won the title of Man of the Match for his phenomenal batting.
- 1987-1988 Benson & Hedges World Series Cup- New Zealand and Sri Lanka played 4 games in the World Series Cup. While New Zealand won 3 matches, Sri Lanka claimed victory in one. Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama, Brendon Kuruppu, and Ravi Ratnayeke were some of the influential players for Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Martin Crowe, John Wright, Andrew Jones, Richard Hadlee, and Ewen Chatfield were crucial players for the Black Caps.
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1990 to 2010: The Era of Tough Battles
- 1992-1993 Sri Lanka v New Zealand – The two teams played a 3-match ODI series on Sri Lankan soil. While the first game finished without a result, Sri Lanka won the remaining two matches, displaying their strength on home soil. Roshan Mahanama was the key player leading the Lankan Lions to victory in both matches.
- 1996-1997 New Zealand v Sri Lanka- New Zealand and Sri Lanka played a 2-match Test series in New Zealand, which concluded with the Kiwis winning the series 2-0. Bryan Young’s batting for 267 runs is one of the unforgettable moments in the Sri Lanka-New Zealand rivalry.
- 1997-1998 Singer-Akai Nidahas Trophy: Sri Lanka played two matches of the championship with New Zealand, both in their homeland. The Lankan Lions clinched victory in both matches, defeating the Kiwis by 7 wickets and 87 runs in the first and second matches, respectively. Marvan Atapattu scored an unbeatable 83 in the first game, while Arjuna Ranatunga hit a century in the second game, becoming Man of the Match.
- 2000-2001 ARY Gold Cup- The 2nd ODI match of the tournament was held in Sharjah on 10th April, 2001. In this match, Sri Lanka won by 106 runs, thanks to Sanath Jayasuriya’s 107 and Mahela Jayawardene’s 116. Decided to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a target of 270 for their opponents. However, the Kiwis were bowled out for 163.
- 2006-2007 New Zealand v Sri Lanka- Both teams met for the 1st T20I clash on 22nd December 2006 at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Sri Lanka won the match by 18 runs using the D/L method. They played the second match of the series in Auckland, where New Zealand won by 5 wickets. James Franklin was named “Man of the Match” for dismissing 3 Lankan batters in the second match.
- 2009 ICC World Twenty20- The inaugural match of the ICC World Cup T20 for 2009 was between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The match finished with Sri Lanka winning the game by 48 runs. Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 48 runs, nearer of Half-century single-handedly to clinch victory for his side; however, the Kiwis managed to attain 110 runs in 17 overs. Ajantha Mendis, a great bowler from the Sri Lanka team, was awarded as the Man of the Match title for his phenomenal performance
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2011 to 2020: Close Competitions
- 2010-2011 ICC World Cup- From 2011, the rivalry between the two teams became more intense. In the 2010-2011 ICC World Cup, Sri Lanka won against New Zealand in the semi-final by 5 wickets. Tillakaratne Dilshan (73) and Kumar Sangakkara (54) helped the Lankan Lions complete the run chase. Further, Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis took 3 wickets each, with crucial support from Muttiah Muralitharan, who dismissed two New Zealand batters. Sri Lanka head on to the finals, only to lose against India.
- 2012-2013 Sri Lanka v New Zealand- In the 2nd Test match held in Colombo on 25th November, 2012, New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 167 runs. In this match, New Zealand scored 412 & 194 runs, while restricting Sri Lanka to 244 & 195 runs. Ross Taylor (142 & 74) and Kane Williamson (135 & 18) were the top scorers for the Kiwis.
- 2013 ICC Champions Trophy- The 4th match of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy was held in Cardiff, where New Zealand secured a win over Sri Lanka by 1 wicket. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat; however, they were bowled out for 138. Whereas, New Zealand secured 139 runs in 36.3 overs, with 9 wickets down.
- 2018-2019 New Zealand v Sri Lanka- Both teams played a 2-match Test series, while the first game concluded in a draw, the Black Caps won the other by 453 runs. The second game was held on 26th December, 2018, in Christchurch. Welcomed to bat first, New Zealand scored 178 & 585. Tim Southee won the Man of the Match title for his exceptional batting performance (68) and taking 5 wickets, dismissing crucial Lankan batters.
- 2019 ICC World Cup- Once again, New Zealand showed their dominance over Sri Lanka by winning the 3rd match of the 2019 ICC World Cup by 10 wickets. In this match, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 136 runs in 29.2 overs, whereas New Zealand completed the run chase of 137 runs in 16.1 overs, thanks to the 131-run partnership by Martin Guptill and Colin Munro.
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2020 to Recent Matches
- 2022-2023 New Zealand v Sri Lanka- New Zealand won the 2-match Test series held in their home ground. They won the first game by 2 wickets, while the second was by an innings and 58 runs. Kane Williamson (215) and Henry Nicholls (200*) were the top scorers for the Black Caps.
- 2023 ICC World Cup – The 41st match was held between the two teams in Bengaluru. New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets (160 balls remaining). In this game, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 171 runs in 46.4 overs, whereas New Zealand scored 172 runs in 23.2 overs, losing 5 wickets. The match highlighted the exceptional batting performance of the Kiwis, with Trent Boult winning the Man of the Match for his great bowling.
- 2022-2023 New Zealand v Sri Lanka- It is the first T20I match of the season, held in Auckland. Both teams scored 196 runs in 20 overs, New Zealand with 8 wickets down, and Sri Lanka lost 5 wickets. However, Sri Lanka clinched victory in the super over.
- 2024 Sri Lanka v New Zealand- In the second match of the series, Sri Lanka won by an innings and 154 runs. Kamindu Mendis scored an unbeaten 182 runs, followed by a century by Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis. Their phenomenal gameplay helped Sri Lanka win the match.
