Match overview
New Zealand Cricket beat England Cricket by 2 wickets in a tight ODI at Sky Stadium, Wellington, on 1 November 2025. England were dismissed for 222 after a damaging powerplay in which they lost 4 wickets for 44 runs. New Zealand's chase was far from smooth. They lost 8 wickets in the middle overs. But a powerplay stand of 64 without loss gave them enough of a buffer. BM Tickner took 4/64 to earn Player of the Match recognition, and New Zealand crossed the line at 226/8, continuing their strong run of results against England in 2025.
England's innings never quite recovered from that early collapse. J Overton's 68 off 62 balls was the most substantial contribution in the middle order, helping push the total to something resembling competitive. The problem was that England were bowled out entirely, recording no runs from the death overs, which left New Zealand with a straightforward target compared to what a fuller innings might have set.
New Zealand's chase had its anxious moments. Eight middle-overs wickets fell for 140 runs, compressing what had seemed a comfortable position. However, 22 runs from the death overs proved enough, and they got home with wickets to spare in the end, if only just.
Venue and conditions
Sky Stadium has a modest ODI sample to draw from, but the patterns from its 5 matches are fairly clear. The average first innings score is 174 and the average second innings score sits at 172, suggesting a flat, even pitch where neither side holds a significant structural advantage based on batting order alone. The real differentiator is how sides manage the phases.
The venue's average powerplay runs across ODIs are 56. New Zealand's 64 without loss in this match's powerplay put them ahead of that curve from the outset. England's 44/4 in the same phase, by contrast, represents one of the more difficult starts a side can have at any ground. The chase success rate of 80% at Sky Stadium is high enough to have been a meaningful consideration at the toss, and New Zealand's decision to field first after winning the toss aligned with that historical pattern. The toss field rate at the ground sits at 40%, so the choice to bowl was not universal, but this result adds to the evidence supporting it.
The death overs average 29 runs across matches here, and both sides stayed close to that figure. The middle overs are where totals are built and dismantled, as this match confirmed.
How to watch
New Zealand vs England ODIs are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV. For viewers without a Sky subscription, NOW TV day passes offer a route to live coverage. Check Sky Sports listings for scheduling of any further matches in this series, as start times will vary given the time difference between the UK and New Zealand.
For radio coverage, BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra or TalkSport may carry commentary for prominent England international fixtures. BBC Sport online provides live text commentary as a free alternative.
Recent form
England's recent form against New Zealand in 2025 makes for uncomfortable reading. Across their five most recent meetings, England have one confirmed win, two losses, and two no-results. Their 65-run victory at Hagley Oval earlier in 2025 was a high point, but the defeats at Seddon Park and Bay Oval, followed by this loss in Wellington, suggest New Zealand have had the better of this bilateral run.
New Zealand's corresponding record mirrors that picture: two wins, one defeat, and two no-results across those same fixtures. They won by 5 wickets at Seddon Park and 4 wickets at Bay Oval, and now by 2 wickets at Sky Stadium. Each of their wins in 2025 has come chasing, reinforcing their comfort with the format and conditions. England will need to address their powerplay batting fragility before the next fixture if they want to reverse the trend.