Mark Wood and Adil Rashid added 30 crucial runs off the last 26 deliveries to push England’s total beyond 280 in the World Cup 2023 opener in Ahmedabad. However, with New Zealand also fielding a strong batting line-up, they will fancy their chances of kick-starting another World Cup campaign on a victorious note. The Kiwis have definitely got the start the doctor ordered for them, with Rachin Ravindra bringing up a 36-ball fifty in his first ODI innings above No. 6.
New Zealand managed to restrict the defending champions to 282/9 despite going in with an impoverished bowling attack. The Blackcaps were missing the services of Lockie Ferguson and Tim Southee and as a result, stuffed their XI with players holding batting pedigree. At one stage, it did appear like England would post a total in excess of 300 following a fruitful partnership between Jos Buttler and Joe Root, but the disciplined New Zealand managed to put a kibosh on the fearsome England batting order.
More must-reads: