New Zealand made a stunning start to their World Cup 2023 campaign, demolishing England by nine wickets in the tournament’s opening match held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra played heroic innings, leading the Black Caps to effortlessly chase down the target of 283 runs in just 36.2 overs.
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Conway stole the spotlight in the World Cup opener with a brilliant unbeaten century, amassing an impressive 152 runs. Meanwhile, Ravindra showcased his batting prowess, contributing 123 runs from 96 balls.
A scintillating maiden hundred from young sensation Rachin Ravindra drives the New Zealand chase @mastercard milestones moments #CWC23 | #ENGvNZ
Details https://t.co/W7jLpfcuNm pic.twitter.com/wNFD4AEYWn
— ICC (@ICC) October 5, 2023
In what could be described as a one-sided affair, the English bowlers found themselves struggling to take wickets and limit the Kiwis from reaching the target.
Initially, the Black Caps won the toss and elected to field first. Jos Buttler’s side managed to post a total of 282-9.
The English opening pair attempted to establish a strong start, but their partnership was disrupted when Dawid Malan was dismissed for 14 off 24 balls. Opener Jonny Bairstow contributed 33 runs before getting caught by Mitchell off Santner’s delivery in the 13th over.
Following a somewhat average start, Joe Root took charge, scoring 77 off 86 balls before being dismissed by Glenn Phillips. Harry Brook and Moeen Ali contributed 25 and 11 runs, respectively.
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Jos Buttler tried to regain the momentum established by Root, but he was eventually dismissed for 43. After his departure, England quickly lost wickets from their tail-enders, with Sam Curran and Chris Woakes being dismissed for 14 and 11 runs, respectively. Adil Rashid managed to score 15 runs, and Mark Wood added 12 runs as they tried to salvage the last wicket.
Henry took three wickets, while Santner and Phillips each secured two scalps.
Earlier Coverage
The New Zealand team played without their key batsman Williamson, who is currently recovering from injuries. However, he is expected to make a return in the next match.
In the exciting prelude to the game, Sachin Tendulkar, the ambassador of the event, proudly displayed the glittering trophy on the field and warmly acknowledged his enthusiastic fans. As a gesture of respect to their respective nations, both teams also stood in homage during the playing of their national anthems.
Bowling first in Game 1 after a toss win for skipper Tom Latham against @englandcricket in Ahmedabad. Lockie Ferguson not playing as a precaution with back stiffness. Follow play LIVE in NZ with @skysportnz. LIVE scoring | https://t.co/aNkBrDiAuv #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/s7vvfX30jJ
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 5, 2023
Every four years, cricket enthusiasts around the world eagerly anticipate the thrilling performances of their favorite players in the Cricket World Cup. This prestigious tournament features one-day international (ODI) cricket at its finest.
In this 13th edition of the World Cup, which India has the honor of hosting, ten formidable teams will vie for supremacy in the cricketing realm. These teams include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.
The highly anticipated tournament will kick off with a match at 1:30 pm between the two finalists from the previous World Cup.
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In the history of their encounters, these two teams have faced each other in a total of 96 ODI matches. Out of these, the English team emerged victorious in 45 contests, while the Black Caps secured triumph in 45 matches as well. Additionally, two matches ended in ties, and four encounters concluded without a result.
