Table of Contents
Head-to-Head Statistical Summary
| Format | Matches Played | New Zealand Wins | Sri Lanka Wins | Draws / No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Matches | 38 | 18 | 11 | 9 |
| One Day Internationals (ODIs) | 105 | 53 | 44 | 8 (1 Tie) |
| T20 Internationals (T20Is) | 26 | 15 | 9 | 2 (Includes Super Over) |
Iconic Historical Eras & World Cup Timeline (1982 – 2023)
- 1982: The Inaugural Meeting — Sri Lanka played its premiere Test match against New Zealand in Christchurch, where the hosts secured a comfortable 5-wicket victory.
- 1992: The World Cup Threshold — Opening the 1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup, New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 6 wickets behind a masterclass 100* from Martin Crowe.
- 2007: ICC ODI World Cup Semi-Final (Kingston) — Mahela Jayawardene hit a legendary 115 to power Sri Lanka past New Zealand by 81 runs, launching the islanders into the World Cup final.
- 2011: ICC ODI World Cup Semi-Final (Colombo) — In a packed R. Premadasa Stadium, Tillakaratne Dilshan (73) and Kumar Sangakkara (54) clinically chased down New Zealand’s 217 to seal a 5-wicket victory.
- September 2024: The Galle Masterclass — Sri Lanka completed a dominant home sweep under the leadership of Dhananjaya de Silva. They secured a 63-run win in the premiere Test before Kamindu Mendis’s century steered them to an innings-and-154-run routing in the second Test.
- November 2024: Subcontinent Edge — Sri Lanka hosted New Zealand for a white-ball campaign, securing the ODI series 2-1 via back-to-back DLS system triumphs in Dambulla and Pallekele.
Recent Bilateral Timeline (2024 – 2026)
The rivalry has rapidly expanded over the last 18 months, split across both Southern and Northern Hemisphere calendars:
Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand (December 2024 – January 2025)
New Zealand maintained a strong home presence, though Sri Lanka managed a historic fightback.
- T20I Series: New Zealand won the series 2-1. After New Zealand claimed the opening matches at Mount Maunganui, Sri Lanka salvaged a historic 7-run victory in Nelson, marking their first T20I win on New Zealand soil in 18 years.
- ODI Series: New Zealand won the series 2-1. Following a 9-wicket victory at the Basin Reserve and a rain-curtailed win in Hamilton, Sri Lanka struck back in Auckland to register a massive 140-run consolidation win.
Most Recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Clash (25 February 2026)
- Super 8 Stage (Colombo):New Zealand won by 61 runs.
- The Action: Batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium, New Zealand posted 168/7, spearheaded by a blistering late cameo from Mitchell Santner (47 off 26 balls). In response, Sri Lanka’s top order collapsed under pressure. Rachin Ravindra turned out a player-of-the-match performance, picking up an incredible 4 for 27 with his left-arm orthodox spin to bowl out the home side for a modest 107.
New Zealand ‘A’ Developmental Tour (April 2026)
- The Pipeline: The Sri Lanka ‘A’ Team completely dominated the visiting New Zealand ‘A’ Team across Hambantota and Galle. Sri Lanka ‘A’ clean-swept the unofficial ODI series 3-0 and secured the multi-day Test honors with a dominant innings-and-109-run victory in Galle.
Upcoming Schedule (January – February 2027)
The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) has officially locked in the structural itinerary for their next senior men’s assignment down under. The long-form ICC World Test Championship rivalry resumes with a full-tour format:
- 16 January 2027: 1st ODI — McLean Park, Napier
- 19 January 2027: 2nd ODI — Basin Reserve, Wellington
- 22 January 2027: 3rd ODI — University Oval, Dunedin
- 26 January 2027: 1st T20I — Hagley Oval, Christchurch
- 29 January 2027: 2nd T20I — Saxton Oval, Nelson
- 31 January 2027: 3rd T20I — Saxton Oval, Nelson
- 4–8 February 2027: 1st Test — Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
- 12–16 February 2027: 2nd Test — Seddon Park, Hamilton
Highest Individual Batting Scores
The batting record books feature monumental innings, led by New Zealand’s middle-order maestros in Tests and explosive subcontinental openers in white-ball cricket.
Test Matches
- Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) — 302 runs at Basin Reserve, Wellington (2014). This remains the only triple-century scored in this rivalry, famously rescuing New Zealand from a massive deficit.
- Martin Crowe (New Zealand) — 299 runs at Basin Reserve, Wellington (1991). He was heartbreakingly dismissed just one run short of a triple-ton.
- Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) — 242 runs at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo (2009). A classic masterclass in playing spin and pacing a long-form innings.
One Day Internationals (ODIs)
- Luke Ronchi (New Zealand) — 170 runs* off 99 balls at University Oval, Dunedin (2015). A brutal lower-order onslaught featuring 9 sixes.
- Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) — 140 runs off 143 balls at Bloemfontein (2003). Smashed during the 2003 World Cup to tear apart the Blackcaps’ opening bowlers.
All-Time Bowling Milestones
The bowling honors are divided between New Zealand’s historic pace pioneers and Sri Lanka’s legendary spin wizards.
Sri Lanka Bowling Icons
- Muttiah Muralitharan: The undisputed king of spin, Muralitharan completely dominated New Zealand line-ups, collecting 74 Test wickets and 40 ODI wickets. His magical match haul of 10 for 115 at Wellington in 2006 remains legendary.
- Lasith Malinga: Trapped New Zealand’s batsmen with dead-eyed yorkers, famously taking 4 wickets in 4 consecutive balls in a T20I at Pallekele in 2019 to finish with career-best figures of 5 for 6.
New Zealand Bowling Icons
- Sir Richard Hadlee: Set the benchmark for swing bowling against Sri Lanka in the 1980s, picking up 35 Test wickets at a staggering average of just 17.51, including multiple five-wicket hauls.
- Tim Southee: The premier modern threat across all formats, accounting for over 60 Test wickets and consistently troubling Sri Lankan top orders in swinging home conditions.
Women’s T20 World Cup Timeline Records
The New Zealand Women’s Cricket Team has historically controlled the timeline against the Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Team in global tournaments, though recent seasons have featured a massive power shift.
- June 2009 (Taunton): New Zealand cruised to a comfortable 6-wicket victory in their first-ever T20 World Cup meeting after restricting Sri Lanka to a modest 108.
- May 2010 (Basseterre): Suzie Bates hit an unbeaten half-century to guide New Zealand to a comprehensive 47-run win.
- March 2014 (Sylhet): New Zealand’s bowling attack routed Sri Lanka Women for just 91 runs, sealing a swift 8-wicket win.
- February 2020 (Perth): New Zealand clinical chase safely overhauled Sri Lanka’s 127/7 to secure a 7-wicket win at the WACA.
- February 2023 (The Breakout – Paarl): Sri Lanka Women created history by defeating New Zealand for the very first time in a T20 World Cup. Captain Chamari Athapaththu smashed a spectacular 102 to secure a historic 3-run victory, reshaping modern women’s cricket dynamics.