New Zealand’s cricket team pulled off something rare in January 2026 — they beat India in a bilateral ODI series on Indian soil. The 2-1 series win, sealed at the third ODI in Vadodara on January 18, marked a historic first for the Black Caps and set the stage for a five-match T20I series that would double as prep for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. This page tracks every confirmed result, upcoming fixture, and head-to-head milestone from that tour.

4 related posts

Upcoming ODIs: Jan 11, 14, 18 2026 · T20I Series: Jan 21-31 2026 · 1st ODI Venue: Vadodara · 2nd ODI Venue: Rajkot · 4th T20I Date: Jan 28 2026

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • T20 venues for matches beyond 4th T20I (Jan 28 2026 confirmed)
  • Whether any T20I was postponed due to weather
3Timeline signal
  • ODIs Jan 11-18, T20Is Jan 21-31 2026
  • T20I series served as 2026 T20 World Cup preparation
4What happens next
  • Both teams face each other in T20 World Cup final — India won on March 8 2026
  • India became first team to win three T20 World Cup titles
Label Value
Series Name New Zealand tour of India 2025/26
Start Date Jan 11 2026
End Date Jan 31 2026
Matches 3 ODIs + 5 T20Is
Key Source ESPNcricinfo

What time will India vs New Zealand start?

ODI matches in India run as day/night (D/N) games, with the first ball at 13:30 local time — a schedule driven by broadcast windows and the 1 pm pitch preparation time. T20Is start at 19:00 (evening), which is standard for televised evening games in India.

1st ODI start time

The 1st ODI in Vadodara on January 11 2026 began at 13:30 D/N, matching the standard Indian ODI slot. New Zealand posted 300/8 and India chased 306/6 in that match (Wikipedia — NZ cricket team in India 2025–26).

T20I series timings

The T20I series from January 21-31 2026 followed the evening start time of 19:00 (N). The 1st T20I on January 21 saw India post 238/7 against NZ’s 190/7 (Wikipedia — NZ cricket team in India 2025–26).

Bottom line: Day-night ODIs start at 13:30. T20Is start at 19:00. These are standard Indian match times, per the BCCI’s 2025–26 home international schedule confirmed in June 2025.

What is the venue for India vs New Zealand 2026 4th T20?

The 4th T20I is scheduled for January 28 2026. Exact venue details beyond the first two ODIs were still being finalized as of the tour announcement, though the BCCI confirmed the full fixture set in June 2025.

All T20I venues

The five T20Is run from January 21-31 2026 across Indian venues. The 1st T20I on January 21 was hosted at a venue that, per the confirmed schedule, featured Abhishek Sharma’s 84 off 35 balls and Glenn Phillips’s 78 off 40 (Wikipedia — NZ cricket team in India 2025–26).

ODI venues

The 1st ODI took place in Vadodara on January 11 2026. The 2nd ODI was hosted at Rajkot on January 14 2026, with New Zealand scoring 284/7 (ESPNcricinfo — NZ tour of India 2025/26). The 3rd ODI venue marked a historic venue — it was India’s first ODI defeat at that ground.

India vs New Zealand schedule

Three ODIs and five T20Is make up the tour. The ODI leg runs January 11-18, immediately followed by the T20I series January 21-31.

ODI schedule

The three ODIs fall on January 11 (Vadodara), January 14 (Rajkot), and January 18 (third venue). All three are day/night matches at 13:30 start time. The BCCI confirmed these fixtures as part of the 2025–26 home international season (Wikipedia — NZ cricket team in India 2025–26).

T20 schedule

The five T20Is run January 21-31 2026. Matches start at 19:00 (evening). The 4th T20I on January 28 2026 was confirmed in the official fixture announcement. This series served as preparation for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup for both teams (Wikipedia — NZ cricket team in India 2025–26).

How many times did New Zealand beat India?

New Zealand held a perfect record against India at T20 World Cups before March 2026. The Kiwis beat India in Nagpur in 2016 (Mitchell Santner took 4/11 in a 47-run win) and again in the 2021 tournament, both at global events (ICC Cricket — Previous India v New Zealand T20 World Cup matches).

Overall record

The bilateral record between the teams has swung both ways. New Zealand won the 2025/26 ODI series 2-1 — their first-ever ODI series win on Indian soil. That result came despite India being dominant at home historically, with the tour’s third ODI producing Daryl Mitchell’s 137 (131) and Virat Kohli’s 124 (108) on January 18 2026 (Wikipedia — NZ cricket team in India 2025–26).

T20 World Cup history

India broke the spell in the March 8 2026 T20 World Cup final. India posted 255/5 in 20 overs; New Zealand managed only 159 in 19 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah taking 4/15 in four overs. Sanju Samson scored 89 (46) and was named Player of the Series. The result ended New Zealand’s unbeaten run against India at T20 World Cups (ESPNcricinfo — T20 World Cup 2026 Final).

Bottom line: NZ beat India at two consecutive T20 World Cups (2016, 2021), then lost the 2026 final. The ODI series win on Indian soil is NZ’s first in that format there.

Why is the IND vs NZ match delayed?

Rain and weather disruptions are common in winter cricket in India. January conditions in northern and western India can include foggy mornings and evening dew, occasionally affecting day-night matches. The tour schedule appears structured to absorb single-match weather disruptions within the overall window.

Rain delays

No confirmed rain-affected matches were documented in the verified fixtures for the January 2026 tour. The compressed January window (ODIs Jan 11-18, T20Is Jan 21-31) leaves limited buffer days, which makes any postponement consequential.

Recent postponements

The BCCI announced the full tour fixtures in June 2025, providing over six months of lead time. Any reported delays for the 2026 tour would be documented in match reports on ESPNcricinfo or Cricbuzz.

India vs New Zealand 2026 — Full Fixtures

Eight matches across two formats, January 11-31 2026. All ODI times are day/night (13:30 first ball); all T20I times are evening (19:00 first ball).

Date Format Venue Result / Status
Jan 11 2026 1st ODI Vadodara India won by 6 wickets
Jan 14 2026 2nd ODI Rajkot NZ won (score: 284/7 target)
Jan 18 2026 3rd ODI TBD NZ won series 2-1
Jan 21 2026 1st T20I TBD India won
Jan 28 2026 4th T20I TBD Scheduled
Jan 31 2026 5th T20I TBD Scheduled

What we know — and what we don’t

The tour produced clear results in the ODI format: New Zealand won their first-ever bilateral series in India, with Daryl Mitchell and Virat Kohli producing marquee centuries in the decider. India bounced back with a dominant T20 World Cup final win two months later.

Confirmed

  • NZ won ODI series 2-1 — first such win on Indian soil (Jan 18 2026)
  • Rohit Sharma’s 650th six, Kohli’s 28,000th run — both on Jan 11 2026
  • Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja’s last ODI — Jan 18 2026
  • India won 2026 T20 World Cup final, March 8 2026
  • India first team to win three T20 World Cup titles
  • India first team to defend T20 World Cup title
  • NZ never lost to India in T20 World Cups before 2026 final

Unconfirmed

  • Exact T20I venues beyond Jan 28 (4th T20I)
  • Whether any T20I result was affected by rain
  • Full score details for T20Is 2-5
The catch

India lost just two bilateral ODI series at home in a decade — until New Zealand’s January 2026 tour. That single 2-1 series defeat at a venue where India had never lost in ODIs tells a story the World Cup final couldn’t erase.

What to watch

The T20I series doubled as 2026 T20 World Cup preparation for both teams. India’s final win over New Zealand suggests the tour served its purpose — but the ODI result shows India’s home dominance in 50-over cricket is no longer absolute.

What they said

New Zealand’s historic series win in India marks a new chapter for the Black Caps, who had never won an ODI series on Indian soil before January 2026.

— Wikipedia (NZ cricket team in India 2025–26)

India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times, and the first to win it at home, after defeating New Zealand in the 2026 final.

— ESPNcricinfo (T20 World Cup 2026 Final)

Why the NZ tour of India matters

New Zealand’s January 2026 tour of India delivered three distinct storylines. First, the ODI series result: a 2-1 win for New Zealand — their first ever on Indian soil — ended a decade of near-total home dominance by India in bilateral 50-over cricket. Second, the T20I series, five matches crammed into ten days in late January, served as both teams’ final tune-up before the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. Third, the World Cup final two months later: India beat New Zealand with a 255/5 to 159 performance, handing the Kiwis their first-ever T20 World Cup loss to India.

The milestone-strewn tour saw Rohit Sharma become the first player to 650 international sixes and Virat Kohli pass 28,000 international runs — both happening in the same January 11 ODI. Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja also played their final ODIs on January 18. For fans tracking India vs New Zealand cricket, this tour sits at the intersection of record-setting performances, historic series results, and World Cup preparation.

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Additional sources

forum.xploresports.com

The 2025/26 tour timeline captures New Zealand’s rare ODI series triumph in India, building excitement toward the January T20Is.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the full IND vs NZ 2026 series schedule?

The tour runs January 11–31 2026: three ODIs (Jan 11, 14, 18) followed by five T20Is (Jan 21–31). The 4th T20I is confirmed for January 28 2026.

Where can I watch India vs New Zealand matches?

Indian matches were broadcast via Star Sports and JioCinema/Hotstar. International coverage varies by territory; check ESPNcricinfo for regional broadcast details.

What is the head-to-head record in T20 World Cup?

Before March 2026, New Zealand had never lost to India in a T20 World Cup match. India broke that streak in the 2026 final, winning by 96 runs.

How many ODIs in NZ tour of India?

Three ODIs: January 11 (Vadodara), January 14 (Rajkot), and January 18 (third venue). New Zealand won the series 2-1.

When is the IND vs NZ Test in 2026?

The January 2026 tour featured only ODIs and T20Is. Any Test series between India and New Zealand in 2026 would be a separate announcement.

What caused recent IND vs NZ delays?

No confirmed weather-related postponements were documented in the January 2026 tour. January conditions in India can include morning fog and evening dew, but all eight fixtures appear to have been completed.

Who won the last India vs New Zealand series?

In ODIs, New Zealand won the January 2026 series 2-1. In T20Is, India won the World Cup final on March 8 2026.

Who scored the most runs in the 2026 T20 World Cup final?

Sanju Samson scored 89 off 46 balls in the final and was named Player of the Series. Jasprit Bumrah took 4/15 and was Player of the Match.