ENG vs NZ Highlights: In a complete demolition job, New Zealand got their sweet revenge of 2019 World Cup final loss with a massive 9-wicket win in the ODI World Cup 2023 opener in Ahmedabad. Rachin Ravindra (123 not out) and Devon Conway (152 not out) powered NZ to a win with 82 balls to spare with an unbeaten 273-run stand for the second wicket.
Sam Curran drew early blood in 282 defence, removing Will Young for a golden duck. But there was no luck. New Zealand managed to restrict a dangerous England batting line-up to 282/9 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Joe Root was the top scorer for the Jos Buttler-led side with a classy 77. Jos Buttler (43) and Jonny Bairstow also made notable contributions. For New Zealand, Matt Henry was the pick of the bowler with 3 wickets.
England Batting Summary:
Sent to bat on a pitch that was a heaven for batters, England did start well. In sweltering heat, Matt Henry swung it in and out to trouble England openers but Jonny Bairstow made early inroads with blazing 33. However, Matt Henry got the breakthrough with Dawid Malan once again failing in India as he departed for 14 off 24.
Bairstow too did not last long as Mitchell Santner dismissed him for 33. And then on, England kept on losing wickets at a regular interval. Harry Brook began well but fell to a poor shot selection for 16-ball 25. Moeen Ali was next to depart for 11 as Glenn Phillips struck.
But England launched an offensive with Joe Root leading the charge with Jos Buttler. The two went about business at a quick pace, adding 70 runs off 72 deliveries. However, once again, England suffered a blow with Matt Henry breaking stand, removing Jos Buttler for 43.
After the wicket, New Zealand came back strong with Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran all falling at regular interval. But it was Joe Root’s 77 that helped England in their cause.
And at the end, all 11 England batters managed double-figures to create a unique record. In the history of ODIs, no team has ever managed to post double figures by each batter. With some good shots by Adil Rashid and Mark Wood, England posted 282/9 in 50 overs.
For New Zealand, Matt Henry bagged three wickets for 48 runs while Mitchell Santner scalped two for just 37 runs. Interestingly, Mitchell Santner conceded zero boundaries in his 10 overs.
New Zealand batting summary:
Chasing a 283-run target did not seem difficult on the pitch as the sun set. However, with the kind of bowling power England had, it could have been difficult. However, Devon Conway made his intensions clear early on, smashing Chris Woakes for 10 runs in the first over. However, Sam Curran bowled two excellent maiden overs including Will Young’s golden duck in the second over. And that’s all England could do.
Then on, Devon Conway took charge with Rachin Ravindra at No 3 following a surprise promotion. And the duo literally demolished England bowling with an unbeaten 273-run stand.
Conway continued his love affair with India, smashing his ton off 81 balls. But it was Rachin Ravindra who stole the show. In his maiden international century, he played a stroke-filled knock of unbeaten 123. He brought up his ton off 82 deliveries as England looked helpless.
Ravindra playing his maiden World Cup began with an assault on Chris Woakes and there was no let off. The lad with Indian origin remained unbeaten on 123.
At the other end, Conway slowed down a bit after bringing up his century. But he launched a late assault on Liam Livingstone to complete the demolition job in 36.2 overs. He remained unbeaten on 152.
The win helped New Zealand open up a huge gap in Net Run Rate. The 9-wicket win with 82 balls to spare helped Kiwis score +2.149 in Net Run Rate.
England Playing XI: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(w/c), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
New Zealand Playing XI: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w/c), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Trent Boult
