New Zealand national cricket team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
New Zealand

Nickname	Black Caps
Association	New Zealand Cricket
Personnel
Test captain	Tom Latham
One Day captain	Mitchell Santner
T20I captain	Mitchell Santner
Coach	Rob Walter
History
Test status acquired	1930
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Full Member (1926)
ICC region	East Asia-Pacific
ICC Rankings Current Best-ever Test 5th 1st (6 January 2021) ODI 2nd 1st (3 May 2021) T20I 4th 1st (4 May 2016)
Tests
First Test	v.  England at Lancaster Park, Christchurch; 10–13 January 1930
Last Test	v.  West Indies at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui; 8–22 December 2025
Tests Played Won/Lost Total 483 123/189 (171 draws) This year 0 0/0 (0 draws)
World Test Championship appearances	3 (first in 2021)
Best result	Champions (2021)
One Day Internationals
First ODI	v.  Pakistan at Lancaster Park, Christchurch; 11 February 1973
Last ODI	v.  India at Holkar Stadium, Indore; 18 January 2026
ODIs Played Won/Lost Total 850 398/401 (7 ties, 44 no results) This year 3 2/1 (0 ties, 0 no results)
World Cup appearances	13 (first in 1975)
Best result	Runners-up (2015, 2019)
T20 Internationals
First T20I	v.  Australia at Eden Park, Auckland; 17 February 2005
Last T20I	v.  India at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad; 8 March 2026
T20Is Played Won/Lost Total 260 132/106 (10 ties, 12 no results) This year 14 6/7 (0 ties, 1 no result)
T20 World Cup appearances	10 (first in 2007)
Best result	Runners-up (2021, 2026)
Test kit ODI kit T20I kit
As of 8 March 2026

The New Zealand men's national cricket team represents New Zealand in exciting international cricket matches. They are famously known as the Black Caps, a cool nickname that came from a competition in 1998. Their first big Test match was way back in 1930 against England. It took them a while, until 1956, to get their first Test win against the West Indies!

The Black Caps have achieved some amazing things. They were the first champions of the World Test Championship in 2021. They also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000. The team has been runners-up in the Cricket World Cup twice, in 2015 and 2019, and in the Men's T20 World Cup in 2021 and 2026.

Currently, Tom Latham leads the team in Test cricket. Mitchell Santner is the captain for One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) games. The team is managed by New Zealand Cricket.

The ICC ranks the Black Caps highly. As of today, they are 5th in Test cricket, 2nd in ODIs, and 4th in T20Is. They have played in many major ICC events since 1975, reaching six finals and winning two of them.

History of New Zealand Cricket

Early Days of Cricket in New Zealand

Cricket started in New Zealand a long time ago. The first mention of cricket was in 1832. A missionary named Henry Williams wrote in his diary about boys playing cricket on Horotutu Beach. Later, in 1835, Charles Darwin saw a game of cricket being played in the Bay of Islands.

The very first recorded cricket game in New Zealand happened in Wellington in 1842. Soon after, in 1844, a match between the Surveyors and Nelson was fully recorded in Nelson. The first international team to visit New Zealand was an English team in 1863–64.

Forming the First National Team

The first team to represent New Zealand played against New South Wales in 1894. New South Wales won that game. However, when New South Wales returned in 1895–96, New Zealand won their first match by 142 runs! The New Zealand Cricket Council was created in 1894 to organize the sport.

In 1904–05, New Zealand played its first two international matches against a very strong Australian team. These were not yet called "Tests."

Cricket Between the World Wars

In 1927, the New Zealand team toured England for the first time. They played many matches and performed well. Because of their strong play, New Zealand was given "Test status." This meant they could play official Test matches against other countries.

Their first Test series was against England in 1929–30. New Zealand lost the first match but drew the next three. In one match, Stewie Dempster and Jackie Mills made a huge partnership of 276 runs. This is still the highest partnership for New Zealand against England.

Post-World War II Cricket

After World War II, New Zealand played a Test against Australia in 1945–46. This game was later officially recognized as a Test match. In 1949, New Zealand sent a very talented team to England. Even though all four Tests were drawn, their performance was considered one of New Zealand's best tours ever.

In 1954–55, New Zealand had a tough game, scoring their lowest-ever total of 26 runs against England. But the very next season, in 1956, they achieved their first Test victory against the West Indies! It took them 45 matches and 26 years to get that first win.

For the next 20 years, New Zealand won only a few more Tests. They had great batsmen like Bert Sutcliffe and Glenn Turner, and an amazing all-rounder named John R. Reid. Reid led New Zealand to their first overseas Test victories in South Africa in 1961–62. New Zealand also won their first Test series ever in Pakistan in 1969–70.

The Rise of New Zealand Cricket (1970-2000)

The arrival of Richard Hadlee in 1973 changed everything for New Zealand cricket. Hadlee was one of the best fast bowlers in the world. With him, New Zealand started winning many more Tests. In 1977–78, they finally won their first Test against England, with Hadlee taking 10 wickets!

The 1980s saw another star batsman, Martin Crowe, join the team. Along with Hadlee, many other good players helped New Zealand achieve great results. A famous example was their win against Australia in Brisbane in 1985. Hadlee took 9 wickets in the first innings and 6 in the second, while Crowe scored 188 runs. New Zealand won by a huge margin.

One-day cricket also became very popular. New Zealand players were good at working together, with batsmen scoring quick runs and bowlers being economical. This helped them build a strong record in one-day games. A memorable, though controversial, one-day match was the "underarm" incident against Australia in 1981.

In the 1990s, Chris Cairns, a fantastic all-rounder, became a key player. He led the bowling attack with Danny Morrison. Stephen Fleming, New Zealand's top scorer, guided the batting and the team into the new century. In 1996, the entire New Zealand team was awarded "Man of the Match" for their amazing team effort in a 4-run victory against the West Indies. This was a unique achievement!

New Millennium Successes (2000s Onwards)

New Zealand started the 21st century by winning their first-ever ICC Champions Trophy in Kenya in 2000. They beat India in a thrilling final, thanks to a brilliant partnership between Chris Cairns and Chris Harris. Cairns finished the game with a century, securing New Zealand's first ICC title.

Shane Bond was a fast bowler who brought a lot of power to the team between 2001 and 2009. He took many wickets when he was fit to play.

In 2011, Ross Taylor became the Test captain, leading the team to a great win against Australia in Hobart. Then, in 2012, Brendon McCullum took over as captain. Under his leadership, new talented players like Kane Williamson, Corey Anderson, and Trent Boult emerged. McCullum led the team to several series wins and even scored New Zealand's first-ever Test triple century (302 runs) in 2014.

In 2015, New Zealand reached the final of the Cricket World Cup, playing undefeated until they lost to Australia. In 2016, Kane Williamson became the captain after McCullum retired. Williamson led the team to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup and, for a short time, the team was ranked No. 1 in T20Is.

New Zealand continued to perform well, winning a Test series against Pakistan away from home in 2018, their first in 49 years. This helped them climb to No. 2 in the Test rankings.

In the 2019 Cricket World Cup, New Zealand reached the final again. It was an incredibly close match against England, ending in a tie even after a "Super Over." England won based on a rule about hitting more boundaries, which was later changed.

In 2021, New Zealand made history by winning the first-ever World Test Championship final against India. This was a huge achievement for the team!

In November 2024, New Zealand achieved another historic win, securing their first-ever Test series victory in India, winning 3-0. This broke India's 12-year winning streak at home. Key players like Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips (cricketer), Matt Henry (cricketer), and Will O'Rourke were crucial to this success.

Daryl Mitchell's Batting Success

Daryl Mitchell has become a very important batsman for New Zealand. In November 2025, he became the second New Zealand cricketer, after Glenn Turner, to be ranked the best ODI batsman in the world. In January 2026, New Zealand won their first-ever ODI series in India, with Mitchell scoring an amazing 352 runs in three matches, including two match-winning centuries. This performance helped him become the number one ODI batsman.

International Cricket Grounds

New Zealand has several fantastic cricket grounds where international matches are played. These stadiums host exciting Test, One Day International, and Twenty20 International games.

Some of the main stadiums include:

• Basin Reserve in Wellington
• Eden Park in Auckland
• McLean Park in Napier
• Seddon Park in Hamilton
• Hagley Oval in Christchurch
• Bay Oval in Tauranga

The Black Caps Squad

The New Zealand men's cricket team has a talented squad of players who represent their country in different forms of cricket. These players are chosen for their skills in batting, bowling, and fielding.

Coaching Staff

The Black Caps are supported by a dedicated team of coaches and staff who help them train and perform their best.

Coaching History

Over the years, many coaches have guided the New Zealand team. Here are some of them:

• 1985–1987: Glenn Turner
• 1987–1990: Bob Cunis
• 1990–1993: Warren Lees
• 1993–1995: Geoff Howarth
• 1995–1996: Glenn Turner
• 1996–1999: Steve Rixon
• 1999–2001: David Trist
• 2001–2003: Denis Aberhart
• 2003–2008: John Bracewell
• 2008–2009: Andy Moles
• 2010: Mark Greatbatch
• 2010–2012: John Wright
• 2012–2018: Mike Hesson
• 2018–2025: Gary Stead
• 2025-present: Rob Walter

Team Colours and Uniforms

The Black Caps wear different uniforms for different types of cricket. When playing Test cricket, they wear traditional white uniforms. These whites feature sponsor logos like Gillette and ANZ. Players often wear a black cap or a white sun hat.

For One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) matches, their uniforms are more colourful. The ODI kit usually has a black shirt with blue details and black trousers. The T20I kit often features a beige shirt with black details and black trousers. The ANZ logo is prominent on their limited-overs shirts.

In the past, New Zealand's ODI uniforms included beige and brown in the 1980s. This "Beige Brigade" uniform is still very popular with fans!

Tournament Achievements

The Black Caps have competed in many major international cricket tournaments and have achieved great success.

Cricket World Cup History

New Zealand has a strong history in the ICC Cricket World Cup. They have reached the semi-finals many times and were runners-up in 2015 and 2019.

ICC Cricket World Cup record
Host(s) & Year	First Round							Second Round							Semi Final	Final	Position
	Pos	P	W	L	T	NR	Pts	Pos	P	W	L	T/NR	PCF	Pts
1975	2/4	3	2	1	0	0	4	N/A							Lost to WI by 5 wickets	Did not qualify	4/8
1979	2/4	3	2	1	0	0	8								Lost to ENG by 9 runs		4/8
1983	3/4	6	3	3	0	0	6								Did not qualify		5/8
1987	3/4	6	2	4	0	0	8										6/8
1992	1/9	8	7	1	0	0	14								Lost to PAK by 4 wickets	Did not qualify	3/9
1996	3/6	5	3	2	0	0	6	Lost to AUS by 6 wickets							Did not qualify		7/12
1999	3/6	5	3	2	0	0	6	4/6	3	1	1	0/1	2	5	Lost to PAK by 9 wickets	Did not qualify	4/12
2003	3/7	6	4	2	0	0	16	5/6	3	1	2	0	4	8	Did not qualify		5/14
2007	1/4	3	3	0	0	0	6	3/8	6	4	2	0	2	10	Lost to SL by 81 runs	Did not qualify	3/16
2011	4/7	6	4	2	0	0	8	Beat SA by 49 runs							Lost to SL by 5 wickets		4/14
2015	1/6	6	6	0	0	0	12	Beat WI by 143 runs							Beat SA by 4 wickets (DLS)	Lost to AUS by 7 wickets	2/14
2019	4/10	9	5	3	0	1	11	N/A							Beat IND by 18 runs	Lost to ENG by 9 boundaries	2/10
2023	4/10	9	5	4	0	0	10								Lost to IND by 70 runs	Did not qualify	4/10
2027	TBD
2031

T20 World Cup History

The Black Caps have also performed well in the T20 World Cup, reaching the final twice.

Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T+W	T+L	NR	Ab	Captain
2007	Semi-final	4/12	6	3	3	0	0	0	0	Daniel Vettori
2009	Super 8	5/12	5	2	3	0	0	0	0	Daniel Vettori
2010		5/12	5	3	2	0	0	0	0	Daniel Vettori
2012		7/12	5	1	2	0	2	0	0	Ross Taylor
2014	Super 10	6/16	4	2	2	0	0	0	0	Brendon McCullum
2016	Semi-final	3/16	5	4	1	0	0	0	0	Kane Williamson
2021	Runners-up	2/16	7	5	2	0	0	0	0	Kane Williamson
2022	Semi-final	4/16	5	3	2	0	0	0	1	Kane Williamson
2024	Group stage	10/20	4	2	2	0	0	0	0	Kane Williamson
2026	Runners-up	2/20	9	5	3	0	0	1	0	Mitchell Santner
2028	Qualified as co-hosts
2030	TBD
Total	0 titles	9/9	47	25	19	0	2	0	1	N/A

World Test Championship Results

New Zealand won the first-ever World Test Championship in 2021, a fantastic achievement!

Event	League stage							Final
	Opposition Scoreline	Opposition Scoreline	Opposition Scoreline	Opposition Scoreline	Opposition Scoreline	Opposition Scoreline	Rank	Opposition Result	Rank
2019–21	Sri Lanka D 1–1	Australia L 0–3	India W 2–0	Bangladesh NR	West Indies W 2–0	Pakistan W 2–0	2 Q	India W 8 wickets
2021–23	India L 0–1	Bangladesh D 1–1	South Africa D 1–1	England L 0–3	Pakistan D 0–0	Sri Lanka W 2–0	6	Did not advance	6
2023–25	Bangladesh D 1–1	South Africa W 2–0	Australia L 0–2	Sri Lanka L 0–2	India W 3–0	England L 1–2	4	Did not advance	4
2025–27	West Indies W 2–0	England Jun-Jul 2026 3 Tests	India Oct-Nov 2026 2 Tests	Australia Dec-Jan 2026-27 4 Tests	Sri Lanka Jan-Feb 2027 2 Tests	Pakistan Mar 2027 2 Tests

Champions Trophy History

New Zealand won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000 and were runners-up in 2009 and 2025.

ICC Champions Trophy record
Host(s) & Year	Group stage								Semi Final	Final	Stage
	Pos	P	W	L	T	NR	NRR	Pts
2002	3/3	2	1	1	0	0	0.030	2	Did not qualify		Group
2004	2/3	2	1	1	0	0	1.603	2			Group
2006	2/4	3	2	1	0	0	0.572	4	Lost to  Australia by 34 runs	Did not qualify	Semi Final
2009	1/4	3	2	1	0	0	0.782	4	Beat  Pakistan by 5 wickets	Lost to  Australia by 6 wickets	Runners-up
2013	3/4	3	1	1	0	1	0.777	3	Did not qualify		Group
2017	4/4	3	0	2	0	1	−1.058	1			Group
2025	2/4	3	2	1	0	0	0.267	4	Beat  South Africa by 50 runs	Lost to  India by 4 wickets	Runners-up
2029	TBD

Commonwealth Games Cricket

New Zealand won a bronze medal in cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Group stage				Semifinal	Final/BM
Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
KEN W 5 wickets	SCO W 177 runs	PAK W 81 runs	1 Q	AUS L 9 wickets	SL W 51 runs

Team Honours and Awards

The Black Caps have won several important trophies and medals:

• World Test Championship
  • Champions (1): 2019–2021
• World Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 2015, 2019
• T20 World Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 2021, 2026
• Champions Trophy
  • Champions (1): 2000
  • Runners-up (2): 2009, 2025
• Commonwealth Games
  • Bronze medal (1): 1998

Amazing Cricket Records

The Black Caps hold many impressive records in cricket, both worldwide and within New Zealand.

World Records by Black Caps Players

• Richard Hadlee was the first bowler to take 400 Test wickets! He held the world record for most Test wickets for a time.
• Corey Anderson scored the second fastest century in One Day Internationals, hitting 100 runs in just 36 balls.
• In 1996, the entire New Zealand team was awarded "Man of the Match" in an ODI, a unique achievement!
• Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe once held the record for the highest 3rd-wicket partnership in Tests, scoring 467 runs together.
• Nathan Astle scored the fastest ever double century in Test cricket, reaching 200 runs off only 153 balls.
• Brendon McCullum holds the world record for the fastest Test hundred, scoring it in just 54 balls in his final Test match in 2016.
• Brendon McCullum also holds the world record for the most sixes in Test cricket with 107.
• Brendon McCullum was the first batsman to score two centuries in Twenty20 International cricket.
• Martin Guptill scored the highest score in World Cups with 237 not out in 2015.
• Guptill also held records for most career runs and most sixes in Twenty20 Internationals.
• Daniel Vettori was the first cricketer to take four wickets and score a half-century in both innings of a Test match.
• Colin Munro is the first player to score three Twenty20 International hundreds.
• Ross Taylor is the first player to have played 100 matches in all three formats: ODIs, Tests, and T20Is.
• Chris Harris holds the record for the most ODI "caught and bowled" dismissals.

Other Notable Achievements

• Kane Williamson holds the record for most centuries by a New Zealander in Tests, with 33.
• Brendon McCullum holds the record for the highest Test innings by a New Zealander, scoring 302 runs. He is the only New Zealander to achieve a triple century.
• Ajaz Patel took all 10 wickets in a single innings of a Test match, becoming only the third international cricketer to do so!

Images for kids

• 

  Australia v Canterbury, Lancaster Park, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1 February 1894

• 

  Scoreboard – Basin Reserve, February 1978. NZ's first win over England

See also

In Spanish: Selección de críquet de Nueva Zelanda para niños

• New Zealand Māori cricket team
• List of New Zealand cricketers
• New Zealand national cricket captains
• New Zealand women's cricket team
• Beige Brigade Black Caps Supporters