The Bangladesh National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team timeline shows a rivalry that started with one-sided contests and slowly shifted into an even fight marked by historic milestones, and the opening stretch of this story reveals how New Zealand controlled most early meetings while Bangladesh struggled to compete, yet this same stretch later became the foundation of Bangladesh’s rise.
New Zealand dominated the early years, Bangladesh pushed back through the middle phase, and the modern period now reflects a rivalry shaped by landmark Test wins, breakthrough limited-overs series, and a clearer sense of balance than ever before.
Key takeaway:
The fixture grew from a mismatch to a competitive scrap through three distinct eras, each defined by a different phase of Bangladesh’s improvement.
Bangladesh National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline
The Early Era (2001–2010): A One-Sided Rivalry Begins
The first era explains how New Zealand asserted control across every meeting, and the contests often stretched beyond Bangladesh’s reach for long spells, as the young side needed time to adjust to international standards.
To start with, their first meeting came during the 2001–02 Test series in New Zealand, and the home side won 2–0 with ease, which set the tone for the entire decade because Bangladesh lacked both depth and experience.
Moreover, Bangladesh toured New Zealand and hosted New Zealand repeatedly during this phase, yet the pattern barely shifted, and the margins remained wide, and this entire stretch turned into a period where Bangladesh gained exposure rather than results.
Across formats, Bangladesh managed only two wins from 28 matches in this era, and this illustrated the clear gap between the teams in technique, temperament, and physical conditioning across long tours. Even so, these matches mattered because they provided the raw lessons that future Bangladesh squads would later apply, and this period functioned as the foundation upon which the next phase would stand.
The Middle Era (2011–2018): Bangladesh Find Stability
The second era shows how Bangladesh gradually learned to compete, and with each tour, they closed the gap through better game plans, improved player development, and a clearer sense of confidence at home.
Bangladesh’s most important step forward in this phase came in the 2013–14 home ODI series, where they swept New Zealand 3–0, and this moment stood as their first series win against the Black Caps in any format. Furthermore, Bangladesh applied strong discipline in that series, with consistent middle-order batting and controlled seam bowling, and this helped them break the pattern of heavy defeats that had stretched through the previous decade.
Additionally, the World Cup meetings in 2011 and 2019 went New Zealand’s way, yet the 2019 match, decided by only two wickets, proved how Bangladesh had become much harder to break down even on neutral surfaces, which spoke to a team capable of competing under pressure.
During this period, Bangladesh won six matches out of 32 across formats, and their win percentage improved significantly, demonstrating a clear shift from survival to competitiveness. The matches no longer felt pre-decided, and this change reflected structured progress rather than any short burst of form.
The Modern Era (2019–Present): A More Balanced Rivalry
The final era illustrates how Bangladesh moved into a stage where they started challenging New Zealand in both home and away conditions, and this period holds the most historic results in the entire timeline.
In January 2022, Bangladesh produced one of the greatest victories in their cricket history by winning their first Test in New Zealand, and they secured that win at Mount Maunganui by eight wickets. Ebadot Hossain’s six wickets in the second innings pushed Bangladesh into commanding control, and this victory sent a message that they could perform in conditions traditionally considered difficult for subcontinental sides.
Moreover, Bangladesh won their first T20I series against New Zealand in September 2021 in Dhaka, taking the contest 3–2 in a tightly fought set of matches that showed their improved discipline in shorter formats. The pitches were low and slow, and Bangladesh managed them better, which gave them a breakthrough in the shortest format.
The 2023–24 cycle produced another interesting chapter, as New Zealand first won the ODI series in Bangladesh 2–0 with one match abandoned, and then swept Bangladesh 3–0 in the ODIs at home. Yet Bangladesh struck back by winning a Test by 150 runs in Sylhet in November 2023, and they later secured their first T20I win on New Zealand soil in December 2023, which added further credibility to their progress.
ICC events continue to tilt the record in New Zealand’s favour, since they have won all six ODI World Cup matches between the sides, though Bangladesh’s resilience in the 2019 meeting showed that future contests may not follow the same pattern.
Head-to-Head Overview
The long-term record still belongs to New Zealand, yet Bangladesh have narrowed the gap in a way that would have felt impossible two decades ago.
Test Matches
- Total: 19
- New Zealand wins: 14
- Bangladesh wins: 2
- Draws: 3
- New Zealand win rate: 73.68%
- Bangladesh win rate: 10.52%
ODIs
- Total: 46
- New Zealand wins: 34
- Bangladesh wins: 11
- No result: 1
- New Zealand win rate: 73.91%
- Bangladesh’s win rate: 23.91%
T20Is
- Total: 20
- New Zealand wins: 15
- Bangladesh wins: 4
- No result: 1
- New Zealand win rate: 75%
- Bangladesh’s win rate: 20%
While the win percentages show New Zealand’s control, the last decade reveals Bangladesh’s steady climb, particularly at home, where they have collected some of their most significant wins.
Also Read, Bangladesh National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline
India national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team timeline
Key Performers Who Shaped the Rivalry
This fixture has featured numerous standout individual performances that shaped the narrative at various stages.
Ross Taylor remains New Zealand’s leading run-scorer in ODIs against Bangladesh with 1,010 runs, and his calm control in the middle order often settled tense chases. Mushfiqur Rahim leads Bangladesh’s ODI tally with 792 runs, and his consistency across difficult situations kept Bangladesh fighting in many matches throughout the middle phase of the rivalry.
Shakib Al Hasan stands as the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in ODIs against New Zealand with 38 wickets, and his ability to strike at key moments helped the side find breakthroughs even during tough spells. Meanwhile, Kyle Mills leads New Zealand’s ODI wickets against Bangladesh with 33, and his early-overs discipline made a strong impact across multiple series.
Final Take:
So, this Bangladesh National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team timeline shows a rivalry that stretched from complete imbalance to clear competitiveness, and the three eras mark distinct phases of growth, resilience, and new historic achievements.
Bangladesh grew into a team capable of winning in places where earlier squads could barely stay competitive, and these gains now shape every meeting between the two sides with greater expectation and intensity.
