The six-match white-ball series between New Zealand and England is scheduled to get underway with the first T20I on October 18 (Friday) at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The two sides last played a T20I against each other in September 2023.
The hosts have been in some fine 20-over form in 2025, having thrashed Pakistan 4-1 and also scripting an undefeated run to the tri-nation T20I title in the series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa. However, the Kiwis lost their most recent T20I assignment,
a three-match series, to Australia 2-0. With major names like Finn Allen, Adam Milne, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson missing due to injury, it will be a tough ask for the Kiwis.
Similarly, England have also played some attacking T20I cricket of late. They came up on the winning side twice (3-0 against West Indies and 2-0 Ireland) and drew once (1-1 against South Africa) in their past three T20I series. The England and Wales Cricket Board have already announced their XI for the series-opening clash. They will be expected to play their usual aggressive brand of cricket.
Match Details
| Match | New Zealand vs England, 1st T20I, England tour of New Zealand 2025 |
| Venue | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Date & Time | Friday, October 18, 11:45 am (IST) |
| Live Broadcast and Streaming Details | Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV (app & website) |
Pitch Report
With no threat of rain, the match proceedings are likely to play out as normal. The Hagley Oval pitch is known to offer true bounce. The pitch is anticipated to get better for batter over time.
Head-to-Head Record:
| Matches Played | 27 |
| Won by New Zealand | 10 |
| Won by England | 15 |
| No Result | 1 |
| Tied | 1 |
| First-ever Fixture | September 18, 2007 |
| Most-recent Fixture | September 5, 2023 |
Predicted Playing XIs
New Zealand:
Tim Robinson, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert (WK), Bevon Jacobs, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Kyle JamiesonEngland (already announced):
Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Jordan Cox, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood
