CWC 2023. 1st Match: New Zealand VS England Played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, India on 5 October 2023
England: 282/9 (Joe Root 77, Jos Buttler 43, Jonny Bairstow 33, Liam Livingston 20, Mat Henry 3/48, Mitchell Santner 2/37, Glen Philips 2/25)
New Zealand 283/1 in 36.2 Overs (Devon Conway 152*, Rachin Ravindra 123*, Mark Wood 0/55, Chris Woakes 0/45)
New Zealand won by 9 wickets with 82 balls to spare.
Player of the match: Rachin Ravindra
Reigning Champions and CWC 2023 hot favorites England were bruised, battered, and humiliated by New Zealand in a comprehensive and clinical performance on Thursday at the inaugural match at Iconic Narendra Modi Cricket stadium at Ahmedabad. Black Caps crashed three Lions by 9 wickets with 82 balls to spare.
What a sweet revenge it was. Put into bat after losing the toss on not too difficult wicket smart Kiwis not feeding the flamboyant batsmen with free bees restricted them to 282/9. Determined New Zealand desperate for a revenge of their CWC2019 final defeat at Lords final was ruthless and clinical. Milestone setting brilliant 273 runs unbeaten second wicket partnership between talented Devon Conway (152*) and young Rachin Ravindra (123*) won it easy for New Zealand by 9 wickets. World cricket got awed by such a stunning performance. England will take a while for rub clean such disastrous performance.
New Zealand did not have Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson in their attack. Captain Kane Williamson recovering from injury was rested. England also could not field injured Ben Stokes. All the pre match speculations that England displaying Bazball strategy will blast Black Caps attack setting up a huge score making it difficult for chase was put to rest by steady but purposeful bowling. Trent Boult was collared a few times by Bairstow but Mat Henry (3/48) swinging the ball prodigiously in the right channel kept English batsmen honest. Mitch Santner with his left arm spin kept things tight as well. Glen Philips with his golden arm also struck two vital blows taking prized wickets of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. Only Joe Root playing a disciplined 77 in 86 balls could produce an innings of substance. Jos Buttler produced a breezy 43 in 42 balls. Jonny Bairstow made a start producing 33 but could not get going. 282/9 was not a tall score on a wicket playing easy. It got flatter as the day progressed.
England could make an early blow as Will Young was removed was Sam Curran with his very first ball for nought. New Zealand score was 10 at that time. But that was the end of it. Englishmen failed in making any further dent. Devon Conway (152*) and Rachin Ravindra (123*) then unleashed a milestone setting exquisite unbeaten 2nd wicket partnership of 273 runs full of masterful strokes. English bowlers toiled in vain as Conway in his unbeaten 121 balls 152 runs struck as many as 19 fours and 3 massive sixes. Ravindra was equally ruthless blasting 11 fours and 5 sixes in his 96 balls 123. Conway and Ravindra were ruthless and clinical.
With this heavy defeat English mission CWC 2023 got a major shake. They have few worries as their big guns Mark Wood (0/55 in 5 Overs) and Chris Woakes (0/45 in 6 Overs) were taken apart for plenty. New Zealand on the other hand got a useful momentum. That had to bear the near miss of CWC 2019 final. The soft-spoken gentlemen from Kiwi Land had their sweet revenge. CWC 2023 got off to a bumpy ride for the favorites. The feature of day one was two brilliant centuries by Kiwi batsmen and a great partnership of 273 runs. It is the highest 2nd wicket partnership of the Kiwis in ODI eclipsing 203 between Guptill and Will Young. Ravindra was adjudged player of the match.
BDST: 0813 HRS, OCT 06, 2023
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