The ICC One Day International (ODI) World Cup 2023 will begin with a blockbuster clash between the defending champions England and the runners-up of the last edition New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The two teams will renew their rivalry after the epic final in 2019, which ended in a tie and was decided by the boundary countback rule in favour of England.
Stokes doubtful, Williamson and Southee ruled out
Both teams will be missing some key players for the opening match. England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was the hero of the 2019 final, is doubtful for the game as he picked up a hip niggle and missed the final training session. England captain Jos Buttler said that Stokes will undergo a fitness test before the toss and a decision will be made accordingly.
New Zealand, on the other hand, will be without their regular skipper Kane Williamson and pace spearhead Tim Southee. Williamson has been ruled out of the tournament due to a persistent elbow injury, while Southee suffered a hamstring strain during the warm-up game against Afghanistan. Tom Latham will lead the side in Williamson’s absence, while Kyle Jamieson is likely to replace Southee in the playing XI.
Head-to-head record and form guide
England and New Zealand have faced each other 10 times in the ODI World Cup history, with each team winning four matches and one match ending in a tie. The last time they met in a World Cup game was in the group stage of the 2019 edition, where England thrashed New Zealand by 119 runs at Chester-le-Street.
England are also heading into the tournament opener with a 3-1 series win over New Zealand at home last month. The hosts dominated the series with their batting prowess, as Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan scored centuries. New Zealand’s batting, on the other hand, struggled to cope with the pace and bounce of England’s bowlers, especially Mark Wood and Chris Woakes.
However, New Zealand cannot be written off as they have shown remarkable resilience and adaptability in recent times. They are currently ranked second in the ICC ODI rankings, behind only England. They have a balanced squad with experienced players like Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill and Trent Boult, as well as exciting young talents like Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell.
Key players and milestones to watch out for
The opening match of the World Cup will feature some of the best players in world cricket, who can make a difference with their skills and temperament. Here are some of the key players and milestones to watch out for:
- Jonny Bairstow: The England opener was the leading run-scorer in the bilateral series against New Zealand last month, scoring 242 runs at an average of 80.66 and a strike rate of 118.62. He also scored a century against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup group stage. He will look to continue his fine form and give England a flying start.
- Tom Latham: The New Zealand captain has a big responsibility on his shoulders to fill in for Williamson and lead the team from the front. He is also a reliable batsman in the middle order, who can anchor the innings or accelerate as per the situation. He has scored 190 runs against England in four World Cup matches, at an average of 63.33 and a strike rate of 86.36.
- Mark Wood: The England fast bowler was the leading wicket-taker in the bilateral series against New Zealand last month, taking nine wickets at an average of 15.55 and an economy rate of 4.88. He also took three wickets against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup final. He will look to exploit his pace and bounce on the Indian pitches and trouble the New Zealand batsmen.
- Trent Boult: The New Zealand left-arm seamer is one of the best bowlers in world cricket, who can swing the ball both ways and take early wickets. He has taken six wickets against England in three World Cup matches, at an average of 23.50 and an economy rate of 4.68. He is also three wickets away from completing 200 scalps in ODIs.
