The Most Famous

CRICKETERS from New Zealand

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This page contains a list of the greatest New Zealander Cricketers. The pantheon dataset contains 136 Cricketers, 9 of which were born in New Zealand. This makes New Zealand the birth place of the 6th most number of Cricketers behind Pakistan, and South Africa.

Top 9

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary New Zealander Cricketers of all time. This list of famous New Zealander Cricketers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

Photo of Martin Crowe

1. Martin Crowe (1962 - 2016)

With an HPI of 37.38, Martin Crowe is the most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages on wikipedia.

Martin David Crowe (22 September 1962 – 3 March 2016) was a New Zealand cricketer, Test and ODI captain as well as a commentator. He played for the New Zealand national cricket team between 1982 and 1995, and is regarded as one of the country's greatest batsmen. Crowe made his first-class debut for Auckland aged of 17, and his Test debut for New Zealand aged 19. He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1985, and was credited as one of the "best young batsmen in the world". Crowe was appointed New Zealand's captain in 1990, and led the team until 1993. In a Test against Sri Lanka in 1991, he scored 299 runs, breaking the record for the highest score by a New Zealander. In the same match, he also set a new record for the highest partnership in Test cricket, putting on 467 runs with Andrew Jones. At the 1992 World Cup, which New Zealand co-hosted with Australia, Crowe was named the player of the tournament, and led his team to a semi-final. By the time he finished his international career in 1995, he held the records for the most Test and One Day International (ODI) runs scored for New Zealand. After retiring from playing, Crowe remained involved in cricket as a writer and commentator. He was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, but was declared cancer-free the following year. However, the disease returned in 2014, and eventually led to his death in 2016. He was also one of the drivers behind the ICC World Test Championship concept which was initially proposed in 2009, but did not eventuate until 2019.

Photo of Kane Williamson

2. Kane Williamson (b. 1990)

With an HPI of 33.40, Kane Williamson is the 2nd most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Kane Stuart Williamson (born 8 August 1990) 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 world's best contemporary batsman and the greatest New Zealand captain and 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. Williamson made his first-class cricket debut in December 2007. He made his U-19 debut against the touring Indian U-19 team the same year and was named captain of the New Zealand U-19 team for the 2008 U-19 Cricket World Cup. He made his international debut in 2010. Williamson has represented New Zealand at the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions of the Cricket World Cup and 2012, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2024 editions of the ICC World Twenty20. He made his full-time captaincy debut for New Zealand in the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India. He captained New Zealand at the 2019 Cricket World Cup, leading the team to the final and winning the Player of the Tournament award in the process. On 31 December 2020, he reached a Test batting rating of 890, surpassing Steve Smith and Joe Root as the number one ranked Test batsmen in the world. He was nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade, and the award for Test cricketer of the decade. Ian Chappell and Martin Crowe have ranked Williamson among the top four or five Test cricket batsmen, along with Joe Root, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli of the current era. Williamson was the only New Zealander to be named in the ICC Test Team of the Decade (2011–2024). The late former New Zealand cricketer, Martin Crowe, noted that, "we're seeing the dawn of probably our greatest ever batsman" in Williamson. In June 2021, he captained New Zealand to win the inaugural ICC World Test Championship, the first ICC trophy the team won since winning the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy. In November 2021, he led New Zealand to the final of the ICC T20 World Cup. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era.

Photo of Ben Stokes

3. Ben Stokes (b. 1991)

With an HPI of 32.39, Ben Stokes is the 3rd most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Benjamin Andrew Stokes (born 4 June 1991) is an English international cricketer who is the captain of the England Test team and plays for the England team in ODIs and T20Is. Stokes is regarded as one of England's greatest all-rounders in the history of the sport. In domestic cricket, he represents Durham and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues around the world. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Stokes moved to England as a child. He made his ODI and T20I debuts in 2011, and his Test debut in 2013. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup, top-scoring in England's innings in the final before batting in the tied Super Over, winning the Man of the Match award. He was named the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 2019, 2020 and 2022, and won the ICC Award for Best Men's Cricketer and BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2019. He was appointed captain of England's Test team in April 2022. He was part of the England team that won the 2022 T20 World Cup, top-scoring in the final. An all-rounder, Stokes is a left-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm fast bowler. He holds the Test world record for most runs in an innings at number six, scoring 258 against South Africa during England's 2015–16 tour. In the same Test, he and Jonny Bairstow set the world record for highest sixth-wicket stand in Tests, at 399. In February 2023, he set a new record for the total number of sixes hit in a Test career, surpassing the previous tally of 107 set by his coach at the time, Brendon McCullum. He played his 100th test match against India on Feb 15, 2024.

Photo of Brendon McCullum

4. Brendon McCullum (b. 1981)

With an HPI of 32.39, Brendon McCullum is the 4th most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Brendon Barrie McCullum (born 27 September 1981) is a former New Zealand cricketer, and the current head coach of the England men's cricket team in all formats. 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. He is also an inductee of the New Zealand Cricket Hall of Fame. McCullum is the former leading run scorer in Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket and was the first player to score 2000 runs in T20Is. His innings of 123 against Bangladesh in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 was the highest score made by a New Zealand cricketer in the format and he was the first New Zealander to score a triple hundred in a Test match, 302 runs against India in February 2014. In 2014, he also became the first New Zealander to score 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year and in his final Test match in February 2016 he scored the fastest Test century, reaching his hundred in 54 balls. McCullum was the first batsman to score two T20I centuries. On 22 December 2015, McCullum announced he would retire from international cricket at the end of the southern summer, joining his brother Nathan McCullum who had earlier that year announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He retired from international duty on 24 February 2016 and from all forms of cricket in August 2019.

Photo of Martin Guptill

5. Martin Guptill (b. 1986)

With an HPI of 30.56, Martin Guptill is the 5th most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Martin James Guptill (born 30 September 1986) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played as an opening batsman in all formats of the game but pre-dominantly in limited-overs. Guptill is the first cricketer from New Zealand and the fifth overall to have scored a double century in a One Day International match and holds the current record for the highest individual score in Cricket World Cup matches and the second highest score in One Day Internationals of 237 not out. In March 2021, Guptill played in his 100th T20I match. 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. Guptill has scored more than 600 T20I runs in the Eden Park cricket stadium. He is the first and the only player to score 500 and 600 plus T20I runs at a single venue. In January 2025, Martin Guptill has officially confirmed his retirement from international cricket, having last played for New Zealand in October 2022

Photo of Trent Boult

6. Trent Boult (b. 1989)

With an HPI of 29.57, Trent Boult is the 6th most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Trent Alexander Boult (born 22 July 1989) is a New Zealand cricketer who represented the New Zealand cricket team in all formats between 2011 and 2024. He continues to play in various Twenty20 leagues around the globe as a fast bowler. Boult was a key member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. 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. He is a left-arm fast-medium bowler and a right-handed batsman, Boult made his Test debut for New Zealand in December 2011 and his One Day International debut the following July. He was the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In November 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs, while in June 2019, Boult became the first bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in the Cricket World Cup.

Photo of Tim Southee

7. Tim Southee (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 28.50, Tim Southee is the 7th most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Timothy Grant Southee (born 11 December 1988), is a former 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's Test batting strike rate of 82.68 is the third highest among batsmen with a minimum of 2000 careeer runs. 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. Southee is known for his ability to generate late outswing at a brisk pace, and later with off cutting slower balls almost like a faster off-spinner on a damp wicket and death bowling. He was the third-highest wicket-taker at the 2011 ICC World Cup (18 wickets at 17.33). He also impressed at the 2015 ICC World Cup, taking 7 wickets in a round robin league match against England. This performance was named Wisden's ODI spell of the decade. Southee announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2024, finishing with 98 sixes (equal fourth highest) and 391 wickets (third highest for New Zealand) in the format.

Photo of Ross Taylor

8. Ross Taylor (b. 1984)

With an HPI of 28.18, Ross Taylor is the 8th most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor (born 8 March 1984) 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. In February 2020, Taylor played his 100th Test match for New Zealand, becoming the first cricketer to play in 100 matches in all three formats of international cricket. In December 2020, in the first Test against Pakistan, Taylor became the most-capped player for New Zealand in international cricket, playing in his 438th match across all three formats, surpassing Daniel Vettori; in December 2021, he announced that he would retire from international cricket after the one-day series against Australia and the Netherlands in early 2022. On 4 April 2022, Taylor played in his 450th and final international match for New Zealand, his last match being an ODI against the Netherlands.

Photo of Corey Anderson

9. Corey Anderson (b. 1990)

With an HPI of 23.43, Corey Anderson is the 9th most famous New Zealander Cricketer.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Corey James Anderson (born 13 December 1990) is a New Zealand–born American cricketer who played as an all-rounder for both the New Zealand and United States international sides. After retiring from the New Zealand team in 2020, he announced his intention to play for the United States in 2022. He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. On 1 January 2014, Anderson scored the then fastest century in the history of One Day International cricket. Playing against West Indies, he reached his hundred in just 36 balls, breaking Shahid Afridi's previous record of 37 deliveries. Anderson finished the innings unbeaten on 131 in 47 balls, hitting 14 sixes and 6 fours. This record was later broken in 2015 by AB de Villiers, who scored a century against the West Indies off 31 deliveries.

People

Pantheon has 9 people classified as New Zealander cricketers born between 1962 and 1991. Of these 9, 8 (88.89%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living New Zealander cricketers include Kane Williamson, Ben Stokes, and Brendon McCullum. The most famous deceased New Zealander cricketers include Martin Crowe. As of April 2024, 9 new New Zealander cricketers have been added to Pantheon including Martin Crowe, Kane Williamson, and Ben Stokes.

Living New Zealander Cricketers

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Deceased New Zealander Cricketers

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Newly Added New Zealander Cricketers (2024)

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