Few cricket battles in history are as captivating, intense, and unpredictable as the matches between New Zealand and Pakistan. Full of contrasting styles, geographic proximity, and shared passion, this rivalry has produced countless enchanting moments, iconic performances, and thrilling matches.Ā
From their earliest meetings right through to the present day there hasn’t been anything but a battle when New Zealand and Pakistan meet head-on, resulting in dramatic matches that have constantly kept fans entertained. We take a trip down memory lane of these two heavy weight teams, looking back at their epic battles, key plays, and standout players throughout history which have shaped this rivalry. Be it the serene resolve of New Zealand’s Black Caps or the dazzling spectacle of Pakistanās Green Shirts, each battle makes for a distinct taste recipient.Ā
Come with us on a time travel as we take a stroll down memory lane to reminisce about the mesmerizing New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline!Ā
The First Face-Off: NZ vs. SA In Test, ODI, T20IĀ
New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline| First Test Match (13th October 1955)
New Zealand vs Pakistan’s first Test match took place in Karachi at the National Stadium on Friday, 13th October 1955. Pakistan was in the driving seat and eventually folded the match with an innings and 1 run. In turn, New Zealand’s first innings ended at a paltry 164, with Matt Poore the leading among them picking up 43. In reply, Pakistan scored 289 all out with Imtiaz Ahmed’s 64 the top score. How easily one side rolled over in the end, New Zealand disintegrating to be shot out for 124 in their second innings.Ā
- Date: 13th October 1955
- Location: National Stadium, Karachi
- Result: Pakistan won by an innings and 1 run
New Zealand 1st Innings:
- Total Score: 164
- Highest Runs Matt Poore (43 Runs)
Pakistan 1st Innings:
- Total Score: 289
- Highest Runs: Imtiaz Ahmed ā (64 Runs)
New Zealand 2nd Innings:
- Total Score: 124
- Highest Runs Gordon Leggat (39 Runs)
New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline First ODI Match: (11th February 1973)
The first One Day International (ODI) match of New Zealand was held on February 11, 1973, at Christchurch while they played against Pakistan. In the end, New Zealand won this historic match by 22 runs. New Zealand had put up 187 runs while batting first, after a brisk knock of 47 from Mark Burgess. While chasing, Pakistan just fell short as they could score 165 runs. In Pakistan’s innings, Mushtaq Mohammad top scored with 27.
- Date: 11th February 1973
- Location: Lancaster Park, Christchurch
- Result: New Zealand won by 22 runs
New Zealand Innings:
- Total Score: 187
- Highest Runs: Mark Burgess (47 runs)
Pakistan Innings:
- Total Score: 165
- Highest Runs: Mushtaq Mohammad (27 runs)
New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline First T20I Match: (22nd September 2007)
The first Twenty20 International (T20I) match to be played between New Zealand and Pakistan on 22 September 2007 at Newlands in Cape Town. It was a hard-fought contest and Pakistan won narrowly by 6 wickets with only 7 balls left in the game. Ross Taylor struck a fine 37 runs as New Zealand batted first, and in their full quota of overs only added 143 runs for a loss of 8 wickets. However, Pakistan managed to overhaul this score with 4 wickets in hand after a magnificent 59 from Imran Nazir.
- Date: 22nd September 2007
- Location: Newlands, Cape Town
- Result: Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)
New Zealand Innings:
- Total Score: 143/8
- Highest Runs: Ross Taylor (37 runs)
Pakistan Innings:
- Total Score: 147/4
- Highest Runs: Imran Nazir (59 runs)
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New Zealand National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline: Key Matches & Historical Moments
The First Encounter: 13th October 1955
The first match played between both teams held on 13th October 1955. The rivalry begins with the first test series. Where Pakistan secured victory by an innings and 1 run.
Pakistan picked up through the 1960s and 1970s
- Players such as Hanif Mohammad and Imran Khan established Pakistan as a cricketing force.
- Best Series: The 1976 Pakistan return series – both sides played hard, competitive cricket in a battle that gave even drier wickets than was customary.
The 1980s: A Balance of Power
- The Era of Richard Hadlee: The 1980s proved fruitful for New Zealandās Richard Hadlee, arguably one of the finest all-rounders to have played the game, as he starred against Pakistan.
- Javed Miandad’s batting prowess and leadership qualities were crucial to Pakistan’s victories both in (domestic and international) Cricket against New Zealand.
The 1990s: Highs and Lows
- 1992 World Cup Match: One of the key ODI matches was in 1992 at one of the semi-finals where Pakistan defeated New Zealand, leading Pakistan to win the tournament.
- New Zealand’s Home Advantage: New Zealand made the most out of their home conditions during the 1990s when they frequently gave tough competition to Pakistan sides touring there.
The 2000ā²s: A New Millennium of Cricket
- Inzamam-ul-Haq and Stephen Fleming: The very early 2000s were ruled because of the captaincy of Pakistan together with New Zealand; president respectively (Inzamam-ul-Haq and Stephen Fleming), both who have records for some test victories when you look at the mid-2000s.
- 2003 Test Series in Pakistan: A hard-fought series that brought out the competitiveness.
Successful Games Of (2010s)
- Brendon McCullum’s Aggression: New Zealand was more attacking cricket under Brendon McCullum, which brought in lot of excitement to Pakistan – New Zealand matches.
- Misbah-ul-Haq (c) Misbah-ul-Haq was a captain who stabilized the Pakistan team and had many successes in the 2010s, including memorable test series tests over the UAE(New Zealand).
Iconic Matches and Series
- Abu Dhabi 2018: An absolute edge-of-the-seater as New Zealand won by the narrowest of margins ā 4 runs over Pakistan, reflecting the toe-curling near-results that have become a hallmark of this series.
- New Zealand: Series score ā 2-1 The home-soil dominance of the Kane Williamson-led side was another demonstration of how difficult it is to conquer the team in familiar conditions.Ā
Key Figures in the Rivalry
- For New Zealand: Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe, Brendon McCullum, and Kane Williamson are big match performers against Pakistan.
- Legends like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, and in the present day age; Babar Azam have been pivotal in the contest against New Zealand.
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