The competition between the South Africa national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline is one of the most exciting stories in world cricket today. Their existence as two cricketing sides have evolved from test tours that both had meaningful early tour promise, to triumphs to their own historic test series wins, to heart-stopping knockout matchups in ICC competitions to piling combinations of matches full of drama, emotion, and thrilling performances that we can never forget.
Beyond all of this, their contests in various formats of the game (test matches, ODIs, T20Is, even Womens cricket finals) as well as the trans-Tasman rivalry dialogue commentary couplings, have added to stimulating dialogue for the adversarial narrative of rivalry of competitors in cricket. We have seen milestones such as New Zealand’s monumental Tangiwai Shield win in 2024, to South Africa earlier ODI tours, to the semi-final in 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore, build examples of how adversarys and narratives continue to evolve.
This is a comprehensive South Africa national cricket team vs New Zealand national cricket team timeline of the develop, season by season, tournament to tournament of two cricketing adversaries’ historic cricketing journey which showcases the journeymen who contributed to the pace of their journey and outstanding moments, players, and matches that defined the rivalry.
UpComing Match New Zealand vs South Africa Matches in 2025- 2 test & 3 ODIs
| Match | Format | Date | Venue | Local Time |
| 1 | 1st ODI | August 30, 2025 | Tshwane University of Technology Oval, Pretoria | 10:00 AM |
| 2 | 2nd ODI | September 1, 2025 | Tshwane University of Technology Oval, Pretoria | 10:00 AM |
| 3 | 3rd ODI | September 3, 2025 | Tshwane University of Technology Oval, Pretoria | 10:00 AM |
| 4 | 1st Test Mach | September 7, 2025 | Senwes Park, Potchefstroom | 10:00 AM |
| 5 | 2nd Test Match | September 14, 2025 | Tshwane University of Technology Oval, Pretoria | 10:00 AM |
South Africa National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline: Early Tours and Test Rivalry
While both teams had crossed paths intermittently in previous decades, until this test series only a few significant trophies had provided definition to their rivalry. The 2023–24 series in New Zealand was not only Kevin Peterson’s first series, as the newly appointed coach of South Africa but it was the first match in which they would compete on the field for the Tangiwai Shield. The Tangiwai Shield would be awarded to the winner of the Test series between the two nations. The trophy was unveiled as a remembrance of the 1953 Tangiwai train tragedy which took place in New Zealand in February 2024. The Tangiwai Shield brought an emotional historical context to the test matches between the nations.
New Zealand won their first ever Test series against South Africa winning the two matches (by 281 runs and 7 wickets) to win the Tangiwai Shield 2-0. Kane Williamson a series-best 403 runs and took home Player of the Series; William O’Rourke led the New Zealand wicket-taking tally with 9 wickets.
This series transformed what was previously a test history between the two nations, a South African cricket side still somewhat in transition due to their SA20 involvement, had been labelled ‘the biggest series in history’ by New Zealand and many pundits before the series, as a now weakened South African cricket side invoked a renewed confidence in New Zealand’s titled cricket strength.
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In ICC Champions Trophy 2025: High-Octane Semi-Final Showdown
Skip ahead to March 5, 2025, in Lahore under the floodlights, a juicy ICC Champions Trophy semi-final, with New Zealand taking on South Africa.
New Zealand vs South Africa In ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Match Summary
- New Zealand were at bat first and scored an enormous total: 362/6, while supported by centuries from Rachin Ravindra (108) and Kane Williamson (102), combined to make a partnership of 164.
- Mitchell Santner with the bowling attack, had 3/43 and with the bowling unit chipping away by taking regular wickets to prevent the Proteas middle order consolidation.
- South Africa responded with 312/9, thanks to an explosive not out century from David Miller, but missed falling 50 runs short.
The victory sent New Zealand to the Final, signifying their balanced dominance of a few powerful partnerships, their bowling unit also performed well, and they managed the pressure excellently.
3. Broader Rivalry and Format Cross-Sections
Test Cricket & Tangiwai Shield
- The Tangiwai Shield held a special significance during 2023–24 Test series, a landmark in the series.
- New Zealand’s 2–0 series win was their first Test series win against South Africa for a long period of time.
ODIs and Previous Tours
- As a footnote, the 2015 New Zealand tour of South Africa, which featured three ODIs and two T20Is. The ODI series was won by South Africa 2–1 and the T20I series was drawn at 1–1.
South Africa National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline Summary
Here’s a chronological snapshot of their key encounters:
| Year/Event | Format | Location | Outcome & Highlights |
| 2015 Tour | ODI/T20 | South Africa | SA won ODI series 2–1; T20Is were tied 1–1 |
| 2023–24 Test Series | Test | New Zealand | New Zealand won 2–0; first Tangiwai Shield win; Williamson & O’Rourke starred |
| Oct 20, 2024 | Women’s T20 | Dubai | NZ women beat SA women by 32 runs in WT20 World Cup final; Amelia Kerr star |
| March 5, 2025 – Champions Trophy Semi | ODI | Lahore | NZ beat SA by 50 runs; Ravindra, Williamson century; Santner key with bat & ball |
New Zealand Vs South Africa Head to Head in Test
| New Zealand | South Africa | |
| Match played | 49 | 49 |
| Won | 7 | 26 |
| Lose | 26 | 7 |
| no result | 0 | 0 |
| Draw | 16 | 16 |
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New Zealand Vs South Africa Head to Head in T20i
| New Zealand | South Africa | |
| Match played | 17 | 17 |
| Won | 6 | 11 |
| Lose | 11 | 6 |
| no result | 0 | 0 |
| Draw | 0 | 0 |
New Zealand Vs South Africa Head to Head in ODis
| New Zealand | South Africa | |
| Match played | 74 | 74 |
| Won | 27 | 42 |
| Lose | 42 | 27 |
| no result | 5 | 5 |
| Draw | 0 | 0 |
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