The Bangladesh vs New Zealand cricket rivalry tells a story of evolution.
New Zealand dominated for two decades. Bangladesh kept getting crushed. Then 2022 happened.
One Test win in Mount Maunganui changed everything. Bangladesh proved they could beat a top team away from home.
Bangladesh National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline
The rivalry shifted from predictable to genuinely competitive.
Quick Timeline Overview (2001–2025)
| Year | Series | Result | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Tests in NZ | NZ 2-0 | First Test series, both innings defeats |
| 2004 | Tests in BAN | NZ 2-0 | NZ dominance continues |
| 2008 | Tests in BAN | NZ 1-0 | Bangladesh’s first draw |
| 2013 | Tests in BAN | 0-0 | Both Tests drawn, major shift |
| 2017 | Tests in NZ | NZ 2-0 | NZ reasserts control |
| 2022 | Tests in NZ | 1-1 | Historic Bangladesh win |
| 2023 | ODIs in NZ | NZ 2-1 | Bangladesh wins in Napier |
| 2025 | Champions Trophy | NZ won | Group stage clash |
Complete Bangladesh vs New Zealand Timeline
Early Years (2001–2008): Total Domination
2001 Series (New Zealand)
Bangladesh’s first Test series against New Zealand was brutal. Hamilton: New Zealand won by innings and 52 runs. Wellington: New Zealand won by innings and 74 runs.
Bangladesh never crossed 210 in four innings. New Zealand’s pace attack destroyed them twice.
2004 Series (Bangladesh)
Playing at home didn’t help. Dhaka: New Zealand won by innings and 99 runs. Chittagong: New Zealand won by innings and 101 runs.
New Zealand posted 402 and 545. Bangladesh’s batters had no answers.
2008 Series (Bangladesh)
First signs of life appeared here. Chittagong: New Zealand won by just 3 wickets. Bangladesh scored 245 and 242, nearly defending 317.
Mirpur: Match drawn after rain wiped out three days. Bangladesh avoided defeat for the first time.
Development Phase (2009–2015): Learning to Compete
2010 Test (Hamilton)
New Zealand won by 121 runs, but Bangladesh showed progress. They scored 408 in the first innings, their highest against New Zealand at that point. The loss margin has reduced.
2013 Series (Bangladesh)
This series marked the turning point. Both Tests drawn. Chittagong: New Zealand scored 469, Bangladesh replied with 501. Their first 500+ total against New Zealand.
Mirpur: Another draw. Bangladesh stopped losing. They started competing.
Competitive Era (2016–2021): Fighting Back
2017 Series (New Zealand)
New Zealand won both Tests, but Bangladesh fought harder. Wellington: NZ won by 7 wickets. Christchurch: NZ won by 9 wickets.
Bangladesh crossed 200 consistently. They weren’t collapsing anymore.
2019 Series (New Zealand)
Hamilton and Wellington: Both innings defeats for Bangladesh. The Christchurch Test was cancelled after the mosque shooting tragedy.
New Zealand still dominated at home. But Bangladesh’s approach was changing.
Modern Rivalry (2022–Present): The Breakthrough
2022 First Test (Mount Maunganui)
Bangladesh won by 8 wickets. History made.
New Zealand batted first and scored 328. Devon Conway hit 116. Standard stuff. Then Bangladesh shocked everyone with 458.
Mahmudul Hasan Joy (78), Najmul Hossain Shanto (64), Mominul Haque (88), and Liton Das (86) all contributed.
A 130-run lead against New Zealand in New Zealand seemed impossible. But there it was.
Day five brought the real drama. Ebadot Hossain, averaging 81.54 before this match, took 6/46. Taskin Ahmed grabbed 3/36. New Zealand collapsed to 169.
Bangladesh needed 40 runs. They chased it down before lunch. Eight wickets in hand.
First Test win against New Zealand. First win in New Zealand across any format. First away win against a top-five ranked team.
2022 Second Test (Christchurch)
New Zealand hit back hard. Innings and 117 runs victory in three days.
Tom Latham smashed 252. Devon Conway scored 109. New Zealand declared at 521/6. Bangladesh was dismissed for 126 and 278. Series ended 1-1.
2023 ODI Series (New Zealand)
Dunedin: NZ won by 44 runs. Nelson: NZ won by 7 wickets. Napier: Bangladesh won by 9 wickets.
Bangladesh’s first ODI win in New Zealand. The gap was closing.
2025 Champions Trophy
New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 5 wickets in the group stage at Rawalpindi.
Will Young and Tom Latham had already scored centuries against Pakistan. Bangladesh couldn’t match their consistency.
Head-to-Head Records
Test Cricket
- Total Matches: 19
- NZ Wins: 14
- BAN Wins: 2
- Draws: 3
- In Bangladesh: 6 matches, NZ 3 wins, 3 draws, BAN 0 wins
- In New Zealand: 13 matches, NZ 11 wins, BAN 2 wins, 0 draws
Bangladesh performs better at home but still hasn’t won there. Both their Test wins came in New Zealand, which makes the achievement even bigger.
ODI Cricket
- Total Matches: 46
- NZ Wins: 34
- BAN Wins: 11
- No Result: 1
New Zealand dominates ODIs. Bangladesh wins occasionally at home. Their Napier win in 2023 broke a long away drought.
T20I Cricket
- Total Matches: 20
- NZ Wins: 15
- BAN Wins: 4
- No Result: 1
T20s remain New Zealand’s territory. Bangladesh has won just 4 matches.
Key Records and Stats
Highest Team Scores (Tests)
- New Zealand: 553/7d (Hamilton, 2010)
- Bangladesh: 501 (Chittagong, 2013)
Lowest Team Scores (Tests)
- New Zealand: 169 (Mount Maunganui, 2022)
- Bangladesh: 108 (Hamilton, 2001)
Biggest Test Wins
- New Zealand by innings and 137 runs (Wellington, 2017)
- Bangladesh by 8 wickets (Mount Maunganui, 2022)
Top Run Scorers
- Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (800+ Test runs)
- New Zealand: Ross Taylor (500+ Test runs)
Top Wicket Takers
- Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (30+ Test wickets)
- New Zealand: Trent Boult (40+ wickets across formats)
Best Matches
Mount Maunganui Test 2022
Bangladesh won by 8 wickets. This match rewrote history.
Bangladesh had lost 32 consecutive matches in New Zealand across all formats.
They’d never beaten New Zealand in 21 years of Test cricket. Ebadot Hossain had a bowling average over 80.
Then he took 6/46 and destroyed New Zealand’s second innings. Bangladesh’s top order batted for over 176 overs combined. They built a fortress.
This wasn’t luck. This was dominance.
Chittagong Test 2008
New Zealand won by 3 wickets. Bangladesh came closest to winning before 2022.
They posted 245 and 242. New Zealand needed 317 and scraped home at 317/7.
Bangladesh nearly pulled it off 14 years before Mount Maunganui.
Napier ODI 2023
Bangladesh won by 9 wickets. Their first ODI win in New Zealand proved the 2022 Test wasn’t a fluke. They chased comfortably with just one wicket down.
Key Turning Points
- 2001: First Series Two innings defeats showed the gulf in class. But the rivalry started.
- 2008: First Draw Bangladesh avoided defeat for the first time. A small step that mattered.
- 2013: Series Draw Bangladesh scored 501 and drew both Tests. They proved they could compete session by session.
- 2022: Mount Maunganui Everything changed. Bangladesh broke New Zealand’s 17-match home unbeaten streak. The mental barrier was shattered.
Why Bangladesh Struggled in New Zealand?
- Swing Conditions
New Zealand pitches swing. The Kookaburra ball moves for 15-20 overs. Bangladesh’s batters don’t face this at home. Trent Boult and Tim Southee exploited every technical gap.
- Pace and Bounce
Pitches bounce higher in New Zealand. Bangladesh’s batters grew up on slow, low surfaces. They got rushed. Mistimed pulls. Edged drives.
- Mental Barriers
Twenty-one years of losses created doubt. Every tour started with “Can we avoid an innings defeat?” The 2022 win broke that.
- Limited Exposure
Bangladesh plays mostly in Asia. Their domestic cricket features spin and slow pitches. When they tour New Zealand, the adjustment is massive.
- The 2022 Solution
Bangladesh discovered reverse swing works in New Zealand. Ebadot and Taskin used it brilliantly. Their batters showed patience instead of panic. They adapted.
Key Players
Bangladesh
- Shakib Al Hasan – The all-rounder averages 35+ with the bat and provides control with spin. His experience steadies younger players.
- Mushfiqur Rahim – Bats for hours, frustrating New Zealand’s bowlers. His technique suits tough conditions.
- Ebadot Hossain – From a bowling average of 81.54 to 6/46 in Mount Maunganui. His transformation symbolizes Bangladesh’s growth.
New Zealand
- Kane Williamson – Scores consistently against Bangladesh. His calm approach influences the entire batting lineup.
- Trent Boult – Swings the ball both ways. Has tormented Bangladesh for over a decade.
- Tom Latham – Scored 252 in Christchurch 2022. His consistency at the top sets up New Zealand’s dominance.
Future of the Rivalry
The gap is closing. Bangladesh’s 2022 win wasn’t luck. They outplayed New Zealand for four days straight.
Their pace bowling has improved. Ebadot showed Bangladesh can take 20 wickets anywhere. Taskin provides consistent support.
The batting needs more consistency. But Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das have shown they can handle pace and bounce.
Bangladesh will win more Tests in New Zealand. The mental barrier is broken.
In ODIs and T20Is, they’ll remain competitive at home and win occasionally away.
New Zealand still leads overall. But they can’t take Bangladesh lightly anymore.
This rivalry has entered its competitive phase.
FAQs
- When did Bangladesh first beat New Zealand in Tests?
January 5, 2022, at Mount Maunganui. Bangladesh won by 8 wickets.
- Who leads the head-to-head?
New Zealand dominates: Tests 14-2, ODIs 34-11, T20Is 15-4.
- Has Bangladesh won in New Zealand?
Yes. Test win at Mount Maunganui (2022) and ODI win at Napier (2023).
- What was the biggest Test win?
New Zealand by innings and 137 runs (Wellington, 2017). Bangladesh by 8 wickets (Mount Maunganui, 2022).
- Who scored the most runs in this rivalry?
Shakib Al Hasan (800+ Test runs for Bangladesh). Ross Taylor (500+ Test runs for New Zealand).
- Can Bangladesh win more overseas?
Yes, if they maintain their pace bowling development. The 2022 win proved they can compete anywhere.
Conclusion:
From 2001’s innings defeats to 2022’s historic win, Bangladesh transformed completely.
New Zealand still dominates: 14 Test wins, 34 ODI victories, 15 T20I wins. The numbers don’t lie.
But Bangladesh isn’t the same team. They compete now. They fight. They win.
The 2022 Mount Maunganui Test changed everything. Ebadot’s 6/46. Mominul’s leadership. The eight-wicket victory.
This rivalry now has tension. New Zealand knows it can lose. Bangladesh knows it can win.
Every series matters now.
Also Check:
About the Author
