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In the opening match of the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, the Kiwis dominated the defending champions England, securing a nine-wicket victory. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra led New Zealand to this impressive win, both scoring fabulous centuries.
Before the game began, New Zealand won the toss and chose to field first in the scorching heat of Ahmedabad. However, this decision worked in favor of the Kiwis. When asked to bat first, England received a decent performance from Joe Root, who scored 77 runs from 86 balls. While Jonny Bairstow (33) and skipper Jos Butler (43) contributed with useful knocks, they struggled to accelerate against the 2019 finalists.
England encountered difficulties in the middle overs, losing quick wickets due to the effective bowling of pacer Matt Henry (3/46), left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (2/37), and part-time spinner Glenn Phillips (2/17). The defending champions struggled to post a competitive total, managing only 282 for nine on a sluggish pitch in the World Cup opener.
Sam Curran made an early breakthrough for England by dismissing Will Young at the beginning. However, Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway batted steadily and wreaked havoc on the England bowlers.
They forged an impressive partnership of 273 runs for the second wicket, setting a new record. Both batsmen completed their centuries, with Devon Conway scoring an unbeaten 152*, and Rachin Ravindra reaching 123* in the opening match of the World Cup 2023. Chasing a target of 283 for victory, the Kiwis comfortably reached the finish line with 82 balls to spare.
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