World Cup 2023, Match 1 | England Predicted Playing XI vs New Zealand

image-lnc3o6ynJos Buttler will be leading England in World Cup 2023 (Source: AP Photos)

The countdown reaches its last breath as the 2023 World Cup kicks off in a bang on October 5 i.e. Thursday. New Zealand squares off against England in the opener of the 2023 World Cup in a finals' rematch at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The match is slated to begin at 2:00 PM IST.

Kane Williamson, the Kiwis' normal captain, will not be available because he is recovering from an ACL injury sustained during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). Tim Southee, an elite bowler, is also unavailable for selection as he is recovering from a thumb fracture. 

Prior to the major tournament, the Black Caps played England in four T20Is and the same number of ODIs. The shorter version ended in a 2-2 draw, but the fifty over variation saw the Three Lions triumph 3-1. After that, Lockie Ferguson served as captain for a three-match ODI tour of Bangladesh because most of the nation's most seasoned players were on rest and others weren't available. They competed in two exhibition games, losing to South Africa and Pakistan. While Rain triumphed against the Proteas in the match against the Black Caps, the Black Caps defeated the Asian country in their first warm-up game.

For More Such Reads from OneCricket, Click Here.

On the other hand, a significant development is that England might be missing Ben Stokes in the tournament's opening match. The all-rounder did not make the 13-man roster in the exhibition match against India due to a hip niggle. The England team defeated Bangladesh in the pregame match, but weather interfered in the play versus India and caused a stalemate. Only Joe Root, a member of the World Cup team, was available They also had a New Zealand and an Ireland series in the lead up to the World Cup.

So, let us have a quick look at the England predicted XI against New Zealand for the opening clash of the box office- event.


Openers: Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan

England have found a new opening combination with the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan. The former has been a force to reckon with the bat across formats since the inception of Bazball. Meanwhile, Malan is a brilliant batter of spin and can be impactful in the Indian conditions. The southpaw made the full out of the opportunity given to open in the absence of injured Jason Roy.


Middle-Order: Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jos Buttler

Joe Root is the best player of spin in the England line-up. Although he's a bit off-touch, a big-match player of his calibre does not take long to make a statement with the bat.

In a recent development, Ben Stokes was learned to be nursing a hip niggle. He came out of retirement ahead of 2019 World Cup and mainly as a genuine batter. But Jos Buttler stated that the management would not risk important cogs at the early stages of the tournament. In that case, Harry Brook may be backed to bat in the middle order.

Jos Buttler, being the captain himself should bat at number five.


All-rounders: Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran

The lower-middle order of the English set-up consists of great stroke makers in the form of Modern Ali, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran. All three of them have played enough matches in the IPL to take the tournament by a storm on their day.

Ali and Livingstone's spin will be a handy option in these conditions of India while Sam Curran has the ability to deliver with the cork across various phases of the game. The Zimbabwe-bred all-rounder has also evolved as a matured batter.


Bowlers: Adil Rashid, Reece Topley and Mark Wood

Adil Rashid will be spearheading the spin department of England. He has grown into an underrated wrist spinner in the white ball format and does not get the due credit always.

Leading the pace batter should be Mark Wood with assistance from Reece Topley. The former has sheer pace and can rush the opponent batters on any given surface. He's a real game-changer with the ball. Meanwhile, Topley has been very effective with the ball especially in the slog overs. He has the knack for wickets and comes on the back of impressive performances in the past couple of years.


ENG Predicted XI vs NZ:

Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c/wk), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Reece Topley, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.