Black Caps schedule: Three tests, surplus of Twenty20 as NZ summer fixtures announced

The Black Caps have a plethora of white-ball cricket but just three home test matches, as New Zealand Cricket confirmed the schedule for the 2025/26 season.

After the 2024/25 summer featured three tests against England to satisfy fans of the longest format, the Black Caps will again be limited to a sole series, this time against the touring West Indies.

The tour was initially slated as a two-match series but New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has added a further test, with Christchurch, Wellington and Tauranga playing host from the start of December.

But with a T20 World Cup on the horizon, hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February 2026, the Black Caps will have plenty of opportunities to finalise their plans for new coach Rob Walter’s first tournament at the helm, against high-quality opposition.

All up, the Black Caps will play 16 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) over the coming summer, in comparison to the three tests and six One Day Internationals (ODIs).

The White Ferns, meanwhile, have a 14-game schedule split across the T20I and ODI formats, as both Zimbabwe and South Africa tour in the new year.

At the start of October, Australia arrive for three T20Is – all played at Bay Oval – before England add another three fixtures in the shortest format, two in Christchurch and one at Eden Park.

England stay on for a further three T20Is and three ODIs, before the West Indies are welcomed in November for the only full tour of the summer.

As well as the three tests, the men from the Caribbean play five T20Is and three ODIs as the Black Caps’ final assignment of 2025 before the World Cup.

After their own 50-over World Cup in September, the White Ferns host Zimbabwe in three T20Is and three ODIs in Hamilton and Dunedin respectively to open 2026, before the summer-concluding South Africa tour.

It will be the first time the White Ferns meet Zimbabwe in a bilateral series.

The White Ferns and Black Caps will host their respective opponents in five T20Is each, all double-headers, in Tauranga, Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

While that will bring the Black Caps’ home season to an end, the White Ferns will finish with a further three ODIs, one in Christchurch and two in Wellington.

“We’re thrilled to build this exciting home summer around the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and on the back of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, giving our players a chance to shine on the global stage as well as at home in front of their own fans,” NZC chief executive Scott Weenink said.

“We’ve seen fantastic crowds across the country over the past few seasons and are looking forward to that continuing this summer given the strength of the schedule.”

NZC Home International Schedule 2025-26

Black Caps v Australia

1st T20I, Bay Oval, Wednesday, October 1, 2025

2nd T20I, Bay Oval, Friday, October 3, 2025

3rd T20I, Bay Oval, Saturday, October 4, 2025

Black Caps v England

1st T20I, Hagley Oval, Saturday, October 18, 2025

2nd T20I, Hagley Oval, Monday, October 20, 2025

3rd T20I, Eden Park, Thursday, October 23, 2025

1st ODI, Bay Oval, Sunday, October 26, 2025

2nd ODI, Seddon Park, Wednesday, October 29, 2025

3rd ODI, Sky Stadium, Saturday, November 1, 2025

Black Caps v West Indies

1st T20I, Eden Park, Wednesday, November 5, 2025

2nd T20I, Eden Park, Thursday, November 6, 2025

3rd T20I, Saxton Oval, Sunday, November 9, 2025

4th T20I, Saxton Oval, Monday, November 10, 2025

5th T20I, University of Otago Oval, Thursday, November 13, 2025

1st ODI, Hagley Oval, Sunday, November 16, 2025

2nd ODI, McLean Park, Wednesday, November 19, 2025

3rd ODI, Seddon Park, Saturday, November 22, 2025

1st test, Hagley Oval, Tuesday 2 – Saturday December 6, 2025

2nd test, Cello Basin Reserve, Wednesday 10 – Sunday 6 14, 2025

3rd test, Bay Oval, Thursday 18 – Monday December 22, 2025

White Ferns v Zimbabwe

1st T20I, Seddon Park, Wednesday February 25, 2026

2nd T20I, Seddon Park, Friday February 27, 2026

3rd T20I, Seddon Park, Sunday, March 1, 2026

1st ODI, University of Otago Oval, Thursday, March 5, 2026

2nd ODI, University of Otago Oval, Sunday, March 8, 2026

3rd ODI, University of Otago Oval, Wednesday, March 11, 2026

White Ferns & Black Caps v South Africa – T20I Doubleheaders

1st T20I, Bay Oval, Sunday, March 15, 2026

2nd T20I, Seddon Park, Tuesday, March 17, 2026

3rd T20I, Eden Park, Friday, March 20, 2026

4th T20I, Sky Stadium, Sunday, March 22, 2026

5th T20I, Hagley Oval, Wednesday, March 25, 2026

White Ferns v South Africa

1st ODI, Hagley Oval, Sunday, March 29, 2026

2nd ODI, Cello Basin Reserve, Wednesday, April 1, 2026

3rd ODI, Cello Basin Reserve, Saturday, April 4, 2026