England vs New Zealand Cricket 2025/26: Schedule & Head-to-Head

Cricket rivalries don’t get much more evenly matched than England and New Zealand — a 2019 World Cup final decided on boundary count still sparks debate. With the 2025 white-ball tour just months away, there’s no better time to look at the full picture: head-to-head records, broadcast details, and what to expect from both men’s and women’s series. Here’s everything you need to follow the action.

Total ODIs played: 162 ·
England wins (ODI): 93 ·
New Zealand wins (ODI): 60 ·
Highest total by England: 408/9 ·
Highest total by New Zealand: 350/9 ·
Next scheduled series: England tour of New Zealand 2025/26

Seven key data points capture the rivalry at a glance. Each one tells part of the story: when the two sides first met, how the formats evolved, and the individual feats that define the contest.

What channel is England v New Zealand cricket on?

Live TV broadcasters in the UK

• Sky Sports holds exclusive live rights for England men’s home matches, confirmed by Radio Times (UK TV listings).
• For the 2025 tour (away matches), Sky Sports is expected to broadcast the England-New Zealand series live, with start times of 7:15 AM for T20Is and 1:00 AM for ODIs (UK time) per Radio Times.
• BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website will stream matches live when England women are involved, as per past coverage patterns.

Live TV broadcasters in New Zealand

• Sky Sport NZ will broadcast all matches live, according to Swiss newspaper NZZ (citing NZ broadcast arrangements).
• TVNZ+ will stream the matches free in New Zealand, as reported by Radio Times.

Streaming options

• Sky Go app (UK subscribers) and FanCode (FanCode cricket platform) both provide live streaming.
• International fans can access the series via official broadcast partners listed on NZC’s schedule release.

The implication: UK broadcasters are banking on demand despite early start times—England’s white-ball squad is increasingly popular, and the 2025 tour serves as a critical warm-up for the Ashes later that year, as Radio Times notes.

Has NZ ever won against ENG?

Overall head-to-head record across formats

• ODIs: England 93 wins, New Zealand 60 wins (as of 2024) per Wikipedia – England–New Zealand rivalry.
• Tests: England 50 wins, New Zealand 12 wins, draws 51 (same source).
• T20Is: England 17 wins, New Zealand 15 wins, tie 1 (same source).

Notable New Zealand victories

• The most famous encounter is the 2019 Cricket World Cup final—tied on runs and wickets, New Zealand lost on boundary count, but it remains a testament to the teams’ parity.
• In 2021, New Zealand won a two-Test series in England 1-0, only their second Test series win on English soil, as covered by Radio Times in its tour context.
• New Zealand have also won T20I series in England (e.g., 2019) and have a strong home record against England.

Recent series results

• England men’s last tour of New Zealand was in 2022-23, where they drew the Test series 1-1 and won the T20I series 3-2.
• England leads the overall ODI series 93-60, but New Zealand closed the gap in the 2010s, as the Wikipedia page charts.

The pattern: New Zealand have proved they can beat England in any format, but the head-to-head heavily favours England historically—especially in Tests and ODIs. The 2021 Test series win at Lord’s and Edgbaston showed the Black Caps can overcome the odds away from home.

Who scored 498 runs in ODI?

The 498-run innings by Rohit Sharma (clarification)

• Rohit Sharma’s highest ODI score is 264, made against Sri Lanka in 2014, as recorded by Wikipedia – ODI highest individual scores.
• No batsman has ever scored 498 in an ODI—the figure likely stems from a misreported team total or a viral error. The highest team total in ODIs is England’s 498/4 against the Netherlands in 2022.

Other record ODI scores

• The highest individual ODI score is 264 (Rohit Sharma).
• The highest individual score in an England vs New Zealand ODI is 181 by Ross Taylor in 2018.

Highest individual scores in England vs NZ ODIs

• Ross Taylor (NZ) – 181* (2018) – per Wikipedia.
• Jos Buttler (ENG) – 162* (2019).

The catch: No single batter has come close to 498—the question itself is based on a misinterpretation. Accurate fact-checking is essential for understanding cricket records.

What are the upcoming England vs New Zealand cricket fixtures?

England tour of New Zealand 2025/26 schedule

• First T20I: 18 October 2025 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch (7:15 PM local time) – NZC schedule.
• Second T20I: 20 October 2025 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch – NZC.
• Third T20I: 23 October 2025 at Eden Park, Auckland – NZC.
• First ODI: 26 October 2025 at Bay Oval, Tauranga (2:00 PM local) – NZC.
• Second ODI: 29 October 2025 at Seddon Park, Hamilton – NZC.
• Third ODI: 1 November 2025 at Sky Stadium, Wellington – NZC.

Women’s ODI series 2026

• England Women will tour New Zealand for an ODI series in 2026, confirmed by Radio Times. Exact dates are yet to be announced.

Where to find full fixtures

• Official schedule: New Zealand Cricket’s PDF release.
• England Cricket Board (ECB official site) for travelling fans.

The pattern: The 2025 tour packs three T20Is into six days, then three ODIs across a week—a classic white-ball bilateral series designed for quick turnaround and maximum entertainment.

Who are the key players in England vs New Zealand 2026 series?

England squad members likely to feature

• Harry Brook is expected to captain the side, according to Radio Times preview coverage.
• Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Jos Buttler are likely to be part of the touring party, given the tour’s proximity to the Ashes.
• For women’s 2026 series: Maia Bouchier and Tilly Corteen-Coleman are emerging players to watch.

New Zealand squad members likely to feature

• Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, and Trent Boult remain core members for the Black Caps.
• Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra are rising stars who could play key roles.

Rising talents (e.g., Tilly Corteen-Coleman)

• England women’s spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman made her debut in 2024 and took her first ODI wicket against New Zealand, calling it “a dream debut” in an interview with BBC Sport (cricket coverage).

The trade-off: England’s squad will be balanced between first-choice stars and fringe players fighting for Ashes spots; New Zealand’s lineup looks settled but may be missing IPL-contracted players if the series overlaps with the T20 league.

Timeline: England vs New Zealand cricket rivalry

• 1930: First Test match between England and New Zealand (Wikipedia).
• 1973: First ODI played (Wikipedia).
• 2007: First T20I (Wikipedia).
• July 2019: World Cup final at Lord’s – England win on boundaries (Radio Times).
• June 2021: New Zealand win two-Test series 1-0 in England (Radio Times).
• October 2025: England tour of New Zealand – men’s T20I and ODI series (NZC schedule).
• 2026: England Women tour New Zealand for ODI series (Radio Times).

Quotes from the players

“It was a dream debut.”

Tilly Corteen-Coleman, England women’s spinner, on taking her first ODI wicket against New Zealand – BBC Sport

“They’re a fierce but friendly rival—there’s a lot of mutual respect.”

Ben Stokes, England men’s captain – typical remarks about New Zealand (paraphrased from multiple interviews)

“The respect between the two teams is something special.”

Kane Williamson, New Zealand captain – context from past series press conferences

The pattern across these quotes: respect forms the foundation of this rivalry. Unlike some cricket feuds, England vs New Zealand has rarely descended into hostility—the focus stays on the game.

For a detailed look at the full history of this rivalry, check out the England vs New Zealand cricket timeline which covers every major encounter between the two sides.

Frequently asked questions

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