India and New Zealand have one of the most fascinating rivalries in ICC Cricket World Cup history. Their World Cup meetings have produced dramatic finishes, historic performances and some of the biggest knockout matches in tournament history. India vs New Zealand Head to Head in ODI World Cup
Unlike their overall ODI record, where India have generally held the advantage, the ODI World Cup head-to-head record between India and New Zealand is perfectly balanced. The teams have faced each other 10 times in Men’s ODI World Cup history, with India winning 5 matches and New Zealand winning 5. Their latest World Cup meetings came in the 2023 tournament, when India defeated New Zealand in both the group stage and semi-final.
India vs New Zealand ODI World Cup Head-to-Head
| Category | India | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| World Cup matches | 10 | 10 |
| Wins | 5 | 5 |
| Losses | 5 | 5 |
| Ties | 0 | 0 |
| No Result | 0 | 0 |
| First World Cup meeting | 1975 | 1975 |
| Latest World Cup meeting | 2023 | 2023 |
| Overall World Cup record | Equal | Equal |
The rivalry has therefore remained remarkably even across almost five decades of World Cup cricket. New Zealand won the first two encounters in 1975 and 1979, while India then won two matches in the 1987 tournament. India vs New Zealand Head to Head in ODI World Cup
India vs New Zealand World Cup Results
Here is the complete list of their ODI World Cup meetings:
| World Cup | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Manchester | New Zealand | 4 wickets |
| 1979 | Leeds | New Zealand | 8 wickets |
| 1987 | Bengaluru | India | 16 runs |
| 1987 | Nagpur | India | 9 wickets |
| 1992 | Dunedin | New Zealand | 4 wickets |
| 1999 | Nottingham | New Zealand | 5 wickets |
| 2003 | Centurion | India | 7 wickets |
| 2019 | Manchester | New Zealand | 18 runs |
| 2023 | Dharamsala | India | 4 wickets |
| 2023 | Mumbai | India | 70 runs |
The record is currently 5-5, making this one of the most evenly matched World Cup rivalries.
1975 World Cup: New Zealand Won by Four Wickets
India and New Zealand first met at the inaugural Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975 at Old Trafford, Manchester.
India batted first and scored 230. Syed Abid Ali was India’s leading scorer with 70 runs.
New Zealand’s Glenn Turner then produced a brilliant innings. He scored an unbeaten 114, guiding New Zealand to victory with seven balls remaining.
New Zealand won by four wickets, giving them the first World Cup victory in the rivalry.
Turner’s century became one of the defining performances of the early World Cup.
1979 World Cup: New Zealand Won Again
Four years later, India and New Zealand met again, this time at Headingley in Leeds.
India struggled with the bat and were bowled out for 182. New Zealand’s bowlers controlled the innings, with Lance Cairns and Brian McKechnie taking three wickets each.
New Zealand then chased the target comfortably. Bruce Edgar scored an unbeaten 84, while John Wright made 48 and Glenn Turner remained unbeaten on 43.
New Zealand won by eight wickets, making it two victories from two World Cup meetings.
1987 World Cup: India Turn the Rivalry Around
India finally defeated New Zealand at the 1987 World Cup.
The teams actually played each other twice during the tournament, and India won both matches.
First Match – India Won by 16 Runs
At Bengaluru, India scored 252/7.
Navjot Singh Sidhu made 75, while Kiran More contributed an unbeaten 42.
New Zealand fought back through Ken Rutherford and Andrew Jones, but they finished on 236/7.
India therefore won by 16 runs.
Second Match – India Won by Nine Wickets
Just 17 days later, the teams met again in Nagpur.
New Zealand scored 221/9. Chetan Sharma produced a historic performance by taking a hat-trick, becoming the first bowler to achieve the feat in World Cup cricket.
India then chased the target comfortably. Sunil Gavaskar scored a century, while Kris Srikkanth made a rapid 75.
India won by nine wickets, leveling the World Cup rivalry at two wins apiece.
1992 World Cup: New Zealand Won by Four Wickets
The next World Cup meeting came in 1992 in Dunedin.
India scored 230/6 after 50 overs, with Sachin Tendulkar making 84.
New Zealand successfully chased the target. Mark Greatbatch attacked the Indian bowling and scored 73, while Andrew Jones remained unbeaten on 67.
New Zealand reached the target with four wickets remaining and regained the World Cup advantage.
1999 World Cup: New Zealand Won by Five Wickets
India and New Zealand met again at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, during the 1999 World Cup.
India scored 251/6, with Ajay Jadeja providing an important contribution.
New Zealand’s chase was led by Matt Horne, who scored 74, while Roger Twose remained unbeaten on 60.
The Black Caps reached the target with five wickets remaining.
The victory meant New Zealand had won four of their first six World Cup meetings against India.
2003 World Cup: India Won by Seven Wickets
India’s next World Cup victory over New Zealand came in 2003 in Centurion, South Africa.
New Zealand struggled against India’s bowling attack and were dismissed for just 146.
Zaheer Khan was outstanding, taking 4/42. He removed important New Zealand batters including Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Brendon McCullum and Chris Harris.
India chased the target comfortably. Mohammad Kaif scored an unbeaten 68, while Rahul Dravid remained unbeaten on 53.
India won by seven wickets.
This victory reduced New Zealand’s World Cup advantage to 4-3.
2019 World Cup Semi-Final: New Zealand Won by 18 Runs
The 2019 World Cup semi-final in Manchester became one of the most memorable India-New Zealand matches.
New Zealand batted first in a rain-affected match and scored 239/8 from their 50 overs. Ross Taylor made 74 and Kane Williamson scored 67.
India’s chase got off to a disastrous start. Their top order collapsed to 24/4.
Ravindra Jadeja then produced an incredible counterattack, scoring 77 from 59 balls. MS Dhoni also made 50, but India eventually fell short.
New Zealand won by 18 runs and advanced to the World Cup final.
The defeat was particularly painful for India because they had been one of the tournament favorites.
2023 World Cup: India Beat New Zealand Twice
The 2023 World Cup completely changed the recent momentum of the rivalry.
India and New Zealand met twice during the tournament—once in the group stage and again in the semi-final.
India won both matches.
2023 Group Stage: India Won by Four Wickets
The first meeting took place at Dharamsala.
New Zealand scored 273, largely thanks to Daryl Mitchell’s excellent 130 and Rachin Ravindra’s 75.
India’s bowlers responded strongly. Mohammed Shami took 5/54.
India then chased the target successfully. Virat Kohli played a crucial innings of 95, guiding India to victory with four wickets remaining and two overs to spare.
2023 Semi-Final: India Won by 70 Runs
The teams met again in the semi-final at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
India produced a spectacular batting performance, scoring 397/4.
Rohit Sharma made 47 from 29 balls, while Shubman Gill scored 80 not out.
Virat Kohli scored a magnificent 117, while Shreyas Iyer added 105.
New Zealand fought back through Daryl Mitchell, who scored 134, and Kane Williamson, who made 69.
However, India’s total was too large. Mohammed Shami produced a sensational 7/57, and India bowled New Zealand out.
India won by 70 runs and reached the World Cup final.
India vs New Zealand: World Cup Rivalry Statistics
The overall World Cup record tells an interesting story.
New Zealand dominated the rivalry during the first three decades. They won the first two meetings in 1975 and 1979, then won again in 1992 and 1999.
India’s strongest period came in 1987 and 2023. India won both matches against New Zealand in the 1987 tournament and repeated the achievement in 2023.
The 2023 tournament was particularly significant because India defeated New Zealand in both a group match and the semi-final.
Biggest World Cup Wins
India’s biggest World Cup victory over New Zealand came in the 2023 semi-final, when they won by 70 runs.
New Zealand’s biggest World Cup victory over India came in the 1979 tournament, when they won by eight wickets.
India’s nine-wicket victory in the second 1987 match was also one of their most dominant performances in the rivalry.
Key Players in India vs New Zealand World Cup Matches
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has played several memorable World Cup matches against New Zealand.
His 117 in the 2023 semi-final was one of the defining innings of India’s tournament. He also scored 95 in the 2023 group-stage match.
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami was the star of India’s 2023 semi-final victory.
His 7/57 destroyed New Zealand’s middle and lower order and helped India defend their huge total.
Daryl Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell has been one of New Zealand’s standout performers against India.
He scored 130 in the 2023 group match and followed it with 134 in the semi-final. Despite those outstanding performances, New Zealand lost both matches.
Glenn Turner
Glenn Turner was the hero of New Zealand’s first World Cup match against India.
His unbeaten 114 in 1975 helped New Zealand win their first-ever World Cup encounter with India.
India vs New Zealand World Cup Head-to-Head: Who Has the Edge?
Statistically, neither team has an advantage.
India and New Zealand have each won five World Cup matches.
However, India’s recent record is much stronger. India won both World Cup meetings in 2023, while New Zealand’s most recent World Cup victory over India came in the 2019 semi-final.
The overall World Cup record is therefore tied, but recent momentum favors India.
Conclusion
The India vs New Zealand head-to-head record in ODI World Cup history is perfectly balanced at 5-5 after 10 meetings.
New Zealand dominated the early years, winning the 1975 and 1979 encounters and later defeating India in the 1992, 1999 and 2019 tournaments. India responded with victories in both 1987 matches, the 2003 contest and both meetings in the 2023 World Cup.
The rivalry has also produced some unforgettable individual performances. Glenn Turner’s 114 in 1975, Chetan Sharma’s historic hat-trick in 1987, the 2019 semi-final thriller and Mohammed Shami’s 7/57 in the 2023 semi-final are among the most memorable moments.
With both nations continuing to compete at the highest level, India vs New Zealand remains one of the most intriguing matchups in World Cup cricket.
5 Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many times have India and New Zealand played in the ODI World Cup?
India and New Zealand have played 10 times in the Men’s ODI World Cup.
2. Who has won more World Cup matches between India and New Zealand?
Neither team has an advantage. India and New Zealand have each won five World Cup matches.
3. When did India and New Zealand first meet in the World Cup?
Their first World Cup meeting was in 1975 at Manchester, where New Zealand won by four wickets.
4. Who won the 2019 World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand?
New Zealand won by 18 runs in the rain-affected 2019 semi-final at Manchester.
5. Who won the latest India vs New Zealand World Cup match?
India won the latest World Cup meeting by 70 runs in the 2023 semi-final at Mumbai. India scored 397/4, while New Zealand were bowled out after Daryl Mitchell’s 134 and Mohammed Shami’s 7/57.