The New Zealand national cricket team represents New Zealand in men's international cricket. Nicknamed the Black Caps, they played their first Test in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. From 1930 New Zealand had to wait until 1956, more than 26 years, for its first Test victory, against the West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland. They played their first ODI in the 1972–73 season against Pakistan in Christchurch. New Zealand are the inaugural champions of WTC which they won in 2021 and they have also won ICC CT in 2000. They have played in the CWC final twice and the T20 WC final once.
Brendon Barrie McCullum is a former New Zealand cricketer, and the current head coach of the England men's Test and limited-overs cricket sides. Representing New Zealand, he captained the team in all formats. McCullum was renowned for his quick scoring, notably setting a record for the fastest Test century. He is considered one of New Zealand's most successful batsmen and captained the side to the finals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup and 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.
Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor is a former New Zealand international cricketer and former captain of the New Zealand national team. Batting predominantly at number four, when he announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of 2021 he was the leading run-scorer for New Zealand in Test and One Day International cricket. Taylor was a key member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship, where he scored the winning boundary in the final. He was also a part of the New Zealand squads to finish as runners-up in two Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.
The New Zealand cricket team, the Black Caps, played a controversial tour of Zimbabwe in August and September 2005, including some warm-up matches in Namibia. They played 2 Test matches against Zimbabwe and also participated in a triangular Limited Overs International competition with Zimbabwe and India.
Don Sardha Brendon Priyantha Kuruppu is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper and opening batsman. He is one of few batsmen in the world to score a double century on debut. Brendon was often played in One Day Internationals, making 54 appearances for the national team from 1983 to 1990, but his short Test career was largely unremarkable but for one productive innings in Colombo when he scored 201, becoming the first batsman to score a Test century on debut for Sri Lanka.
John Garry Bracewell is a former New Zealand cricketer who was most recently the coach of the Irish national team. He played 41 Test matches between 1980 and 1990, as well as 53 One Day Internationals. He was the second New Zealand cricketer to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets in Test cricket.
Jacob David Philip Oram is a former New Zealand international cricketer, who played all forms of the game for 10 years. He was a left-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. His ability with both bat and ball made him a regular member in the New Zealand international sides.
The Central Stags, formerly known as Central Districts, are a first-class cricket team based in central New Zealand. They are the men's representative side of the Central Districts Cricket Association. They compete in the Plunket Shield first-class competition, The Ford Trophy domestic one-day competition and the Men's Super Smash Twenty20 competition. They are one of six teams that make up New Zealand Cricket. They were the fifth of the current teams to compete in the Plunket Shield, which they entered for the first time in the 1950/51 season.
Bradley-John Watling, known as BJ Watling, is a South African-born former New Zealand international cricketer who has represented Northern Districts since December 2004. He made his Test debut in December 2009 and eight months later played his first One Day International. In 2012, Watling assumed the role of wicket-keeper in Tests.
Adam Charles Voges is an Australian cricket coach and former cricketer who played for the Australian national team at Test, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 International (T20I) level, and also captained Western Australia and Perth Scorchers in domestic cricket. Voges' Test match batting average of 61.87 is third among batsmen that have played a minimum of 20 innings behind Don Bradman and Harry Brook, who has played exactly 20 innings as of 31 July 2023. Voges was included in the 2016 ICC Test Match Team of the Year.
Todd Duncan Astle is a former New Zealand cricketer who played for the New Zealand national cricket team. Astle began his cricket career as an opening batsman, representing New Zealand in the 2006 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, but over time playing first-class cricket for Canterbury, he morphed into a bowling all-rounder. He made his Test cricket debut for New Zealand in 2012 in Sri Lanka, but did not play another international match until 2015. He represented New Zealand in all three forms of the game, but was unable to keep a consistent place in the team in any format because of regular injury problems and competition with other spin bowlers. In January 2020, Astle retired from first-class cricket to focus on limited-overs cricket. In February 2023 he retired from all forms of professional cricket.
Colin Munro is a South African born former New Zealand international cricketer, who played for New Zealand cricket team. He was a member of the New Zealand Under-19 side and is currently a member of the Auckland cricket team. He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
Timothy Grant Southee, is a New Zealand international cricketer who has captained New Zealand cricket team in all formats of the game. He is a right-arm medium-fast bowler and a hard-hitting lower order batsman. The third New Zealand bowler to take 300 Test wickets, he was one of the country's youngest cricketers, debuting at the age of 19 in February 2008. On his Test debut against England he took 5 wickets and made 77 off 40 balls in the second innings. He plays for Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield, Ford Trophy and Super Smash as well as Northland in the Hawke Cup. He was named as New Zealand's captain for the first T20I against West Indies in place of Kane Williamson, who was rested for that game. The Blackcaps won that match by 47 runs. Southee was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. Southee currently has the highest (international) test batting strike rate among the batsmen with a minimum of 2000 test runs. His (batting) career strike rate is 83.12. He was also a part of the New Zealand squads to finish as runners-up in two Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.
Nathan Leslie McCullum is a New Zealand former international cricketer who represented the national team in One Day International and Twenty20 International cricket. A right-arm off-break bowler, he played domestically for Otago between the 1999–2000 and 2015–16 seasons. He was also a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Luke Ronchi is a New Zealand-Australian cricket coach and a former cricketer. He represented both the Australia national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team in international cricket. Ronchi is the only player to have played for both Australia and New Zealand in cricketing history. He was also a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. He played for Wellington in New Zealand domestic matches and has played Twenty20 matches for a range of sides. He retired from international cricket in June 2017.
Kane Stuart Williamson is a New Zealand international cricketer and a former captain of the New Zealand national team. On 27 February 2023, Williamson became the all-time leading run-scorer for New Zealand in Test cricket. A right-handed batsman and an occasional off spin bowler, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest contemporary batter and captain New Zealand has ever produced and the greatest New Zealand batsman of all time. He captained New Zealand to victory in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final and to the finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2021 T20 World Cup. He was also a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
Neil Wagner is a New Zealand former Test cricketer who played for New Zealand and Northern Districts cricket teams. He played for Northerns until 2007/08 and Otago between 2008 and 2018. Wagner was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. On 27 February 2024, he announced his retirement from international cricket.
The India cricket team toured New Zealand, playing a five-match One Day International (ODI) series and two Test matches against the New Zealand national team from 19 January to 18 February 2014.
The Australian cricket team toured New Zealand from 3 to 24 February 2016. Originally the tour was going to consist of three Test matches. In June 2015, New Zealand Cricket were in talks with Cricket Australia to have a tour consisting of two Tests and three One Day Internationals (ODIs). In August 2015, the fixtures were announced which contained the reduction of Tests from three to two and the addition of the three ODIs.
The England cricket team toured New Zealand in February 2023 to play two Test matches. The Test matches were not part of the 2021–23 ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the fixtures for the tour in June 2022.
