2023 ICC World Cup: IND vs NZ Head-to-Head; New Zealand have edge over India ahead of World Cup semi-final in Wankhede, Mumbai

India vs New Zealand Head-to-Head: Rohit Sharma-led India and Kane Williamson-led 2019 runners-up New Zealand will meet in the first semi-final of the Men's ICC World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday (November 15, 2023). This will be the second meeting between India and New Zealand in the ongoing World Cup as the hosts beat Kiwis by five wickets in their first encounter at the HPCA stadium, Dharamshala, on Sunday (October 22, 2023). India and New Zealand have played 10 times in 50-over world cups with their first meeting came as early as the 1975 Prudential Cup. Kiwis hold an edge over the hosts ahead of World Cup semi-final with five victories. India, on the other hand, have won four matches, while one match between them ended without a result.  

Also Read | AUS vs SA FREE Live Streaming: When and How to watch Australia vs South Africa Cricket World Cup 2023 Semi-Final Match Live on Web, TV, mobile apps online

India and New Zealand also played in the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup in England, when Kiwis beat Virat Kohli-led India team by 18 runs.

In overall ODI matches, India have won 59 Onedayes, while New Zealand have emerged triumphants 50 times. While no result came in seven ODIs, one match ended in a tie. 

Also Read | ICC World Cup 2023: India at Cricket World Cup semi-finals so far

In this write-up, ZeeBiz takes you through the India vs New Zealand journey in 50-over World Cup matches.      

India vs New Zealand, 1975 Prudential Cup

The World Cup was being played for the first time.

It was a 60-a-side affair, and the edition was held in England.

India and New Zealand faced each other at Old Trafford, Manchester, where India batted first after winning the toss.

India amassed 230 for 10 in 60 overs with Syed Abid Ali being the top scorer at 70.

In reply, New Zealand banked on ace opener Man-the-Match Glen Turner's unbeaten century of 114 runs as they won the match by 4 wickets with seven balls to spare.  

India vs New Zealand, 1979 Prudential Cup

India and New Zealand met for the second time in a World Cup in Headingley, Leeds, in 1979. New Zealand won the toss but decided to bowl.

Sunil Gavaskar top-scored for India with his 55 runs, but no other Indian batsman could score more than 38 as the team was all out in 55.5 overs for 182 runs.

For New Zealand, Man-of-the-Match BA Edgar (84 not out) and Glen Turner (43 not out) steered the team to a thumping eight-wicket win in 57 overs.

India vs New Zealand, 1987 Reliance World Cup  

The 50-over World Cup was being played in India for the first time, also in a 50-over format.

In the 1987 Reliance World Cup, India would play New Zealand not once but twice.

It was outstanding in India's favour that the team managed to beat Kiwis on both occasions.

Playing at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, Man-of-the-Match Kapil Dev played an unbeaten quickfire innings of 58-ball 72, Navjot Singh Sidhu top-scored with 75, and Kiran More played a fiery unbetean innings of 26-ball 42 as India scored 252 for 7 in 50 overs.

In reply, New Zealand opener Ken Rutherford scored 75 runs and Andrew Jones remained unbeaten at 64, but the team fell 16 runs short of the target with two wickets in hand.

It was India's first victory over New Zealand in a World Cup match.

India vs New Zealand, 1987 Reliance World Cup  

In the same World Cup, India and New Zealand met for the second time at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

The match is remembered for Sunil Gavaskar's only century in ODI cricket.

After winning the toss, New Zealand batted first and scored 221 runs for nine wickets with Dipak Patel being their top scorer at 40.

Indian seamer Chetan Sharma took three wickets.

In reply, India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth scored 75 runs off 58 balls, but it was Gavaskar's 88-ball unbeaten 103-run innings that became the talk of the town and guided India to a thumping nine-wicket victory over New Zealand.

Gavaskar was Man-of-the-Match for his only ODI ton, other than the 34 that he scored in Test cricket (the highest at that time).

India vs New Zealand, Benson Hedges World Cup 1992

The World Cup was happening in Australia and New Zealand for the first time, and the tournament is remembered for the Kiwis run-up to the semifinals under the courageous captaincy of Martin Crowe.

At their home ground in Carisbrook, Dunedin, New Zealand decided to bowl first after winning the toss.

From India, 19-year-old Sachin Tendulkar, who would attain the status of a legend just a few years later, top-scored with 84 runs.

Skipper Mohammad Azharuddin too scored a half century (55) as India scored 236 for 6 in 50 overs.

In reply, New Zealand opener Mark Greatbatch laid a solid foundation for the team with his 73-run innings, and Andrew Jones too chipped in with an unbeaten 67 as the team chased down the target in 47.1 overs with four wickets to go.

India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup 1999

India and New Zealand reached the Super Six stage of the ICC World Cup 1999, which was being played in England for the fourth time.

India skipper Azharuddin won the toss and decided to bat at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

Only Ajay Jadeja could face the New Zealand pace attack bravely and top-scored with 76 runs as India aggregated 251 for 6 in 50 overs.

In reply, New Zealand's Matt Horne scored 74 runs while Man-of-the-Match Roger Twose scored an unbeaten 66 runs as New Zealand chased down the target easily in 48.2 overs with five wickets in hand.

India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup 2003

In the first World Cup in South Africa, India faced New Zealand at Centurion Park, Centurion.

India skipper Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Man-of-the-Match Indian pacer Zaheer Khan dismantled New Zealand's top- and middle-order as he returned with figures of 4 for 42 in 8 overs to help the team restrict New Zealand to 146 all out in 50 overs.

India lost Virender Sehwag, Tendulkar, and Ganguly's wickets with just 21 runs on the scoreboard, but Mohammad Kaif (68 not out in 129 balls) and Rahul Dravid (53 not out in 89 balls) played slow but steady innings as India won the match by seven wickets in 40.4 overs.   

India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup 2019

After meeting in every edition of the World Cup till 2003, India and New Zealand would not meet in the next three editions of the tournament in 2007, 2011, and 2015.

It was only in 2019—a fifth World Cup in England—that India and New Zealand were to play their first match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled as heavy rain washed out the match.

India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup 2019

India and New Zealand would meet for the last time in a World Cup match at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.

New Zealand skipper Williamson (67 runs off 90 balls) and Ross Taylor (74 runs off 90 balls) steered their team to 239 for 8 wickets in 50 overs.

Man-of-the-match Matt Henry finished India's top order with the help of Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner.

India lost their first three wickets with just five runs on the board, and half the team returned at 71 runs.

MS Dhoni (50 runs off 72 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (77 runs in 59 balls) knitted 116 runs for the seventh wicket, but it was too late for a comeback.

Once they were out, it took little for New Zealand to win the match by 18 runs.

India vs New Zealand, ICC World Cup 2023