World Cup 2023, ENG vs NZ: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra Hit Tons As Blackcaps Rout England By 9 Wickets

Ahmedabad: In a thrilling opening match of the 2023 World Cup, New Zealand secured a convincing 9-wicket victory over defending champions England. The contest unfolded at the Narendra Modi Stadium, with New Zealand’s bowlers and spinners showcasing their prowess in humid conditions.

Despite losing Will Young early, the Kiwis kept their foot on the accelerator with Devon Conway (152* off 121) and Rachin Ravindra (123* off 96) stitching an unbeaten 273-run stand to take them home with 82 balls remaining.

Earlier, during England’s innings, Kiwi bowlers made steady inroads into England’s batting lineup, restricting the defending champions to 282 for nine. The spinners, in particular, exploited the challenging conditions effectively, delivering a collective bowling performance.

Glenn Phillips, with his part-time spin, was an unexpected hero, claiming two crucial wickets – those of Joe Root (77) and Moeen Ali (11). Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry also played pivotal roles, with figures of 10-0-37-2 and 10-1-48-3, respectively, ensuring England stayed well below the 300-run mark.

The 2023 World Cup’s first runs came off a six from Jonny Bairstow, who scored 33 off 35 balls. However, England’s initial promise waned as New Zealand’s Matt Henry made an early breakthrough, dismissing Dawid Malan for 14.

Bairstow, too, couldn’t sustain the momentum, falling victim to Santner’s spin. England’s struggles continued, with Harry Brook attempting to counterattack against Rachin Ravindra but eventually perishing for a brisk 25 runs.

Despite a 70-run partnership between Joe Root and Jos Buttler, England’s hopes of a strong revival were dashed when Matt Henry had Root caught behind. Buttler’s departure further dented England’s prospects, as he edged the ball behind while attempting to guide it down.

Joe Root’s commendable effort, which included his 36th fifty in ODI cricket, came to an end when he attempted a reverse sweep against Glenn Phillips but missed the connection.

England’s lower-order batsmen couldn’t contribute significantly, leaving them with a below-par total of 282.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 283/1 in 36.2 overs (Devon Conway (152*), Rachin Ravindra (123*), Sam Curran 1/47) beat England 282/9 in 50 overs (Joe Root (77), Jos Buttler (43), Matt Henry 3/48, Glenn Phillips 2/17) by 9 Wickets.