In a spectacular opening match of the World Cup held at Ahmedabad’s iconic cricket stadium, New Zealand delivered a stunning performance, securing a resounding nine-wicket victory over defending champions England. The absence of the talismanic Ben Stokes, who was sidelined due to a hip injury, proved to be a significant setback for England as they struggled to a total of 282-9 after being put in to bat by the Kiwis.
The batting brilliance of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra was the highlight of the match, as they forged an unbreakable partnership of 273 runs for the second wicket, leading New Zealand to a comfortable victory with 13.4 overs to spare. This win was a stark contrast to the thrilling World Cup final at Lord’s in 2019, where England emerged victorious in a tied match on boundary countback.
Despite the absence of regular skipper Kane Williamson, New Zealand, under the leadership of Tom Latham, managed to restrict England to a below-par total, with Joe Root being the top scorer with 77 runs.
The left-handed duo of Conway and Ravindra showcased their batting prowess by relentlessly attacking the English bowlers. After losing Will Young early to left-arm quick Sam Curran, Conway blazed his way to a century, reaching 152 runs off just 83 balls, featuring 13 fours and two sixes. This innings also marked Conway’s achievement of surpassing 1,000 runs in ODI matches, achieving the milestone in just 23 games.
Rachin Ravindra, at the age of 23, swiftly followed suit by notching up his maiden ODI century, reaching 123 runs off 82 balls, adorned with nine fours and four sixes. The fans inside the colossal 132,000-capacity arena cheered as Ravindra raised his bat in acknowledgment of his remarkable feat.
The partnership between Conway and Ravindra ensured an emphatic victory for New Zealand, boosting their net run-rate in the early stages of the tournament.
In the bowling department, New Zealand’s Matt Henry was the standout performer, claiming three wickets for 48 runs. Spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips also made valuable contributions, each picking up two wickets.
England’s opening pair of Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow provided a brisk start, but Malan’s dismissal, caught behind off Henry, and Bairstow’s exit, courtesy of Santner’s left-arm spin, halted their momentum.
England’s hopes rested on Joe Root, who notched up his 37th ODI half-century off 57 balls. However, he fell to Phillips’ off-spin while attempting a reverse sweep, causing England’s innings to falter further. Adil Rashid and Mark Wood managed to steer England to a respectable total with an unbeaten partnership of 30 runs.
Playing XI:
England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (wk/capt), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk/capt), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, Trent Boult
Match Officials:
- Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Nitin Menon (IND)
- TV Umpire: Paul Wilson (AUS)
- Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)
