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   England Finish With 'Unique Record' Despite Batting Collapse In 2023 World Cup Opener

image-lnd6oftuJoe Root and Jos Buttler in World Cup opener (X.com)

England ended with a surprising record under their belt at the culmination of their first-innings batting effort in the 2023 World Cup opening clash against New Zealand. The explosive and lengthy Jos Buttler-led batting unit finished with a rare feat of all 11 men scoring in double digits in the One-Day Internationals. 

Since the first-ever ODI game played in 1971, no men's or women's cricket side had achieved this unique record until Thursday (October 5) in Ahmedabad when England No.11 Mark Wood finished with an unbeaten 13 at the conclusion of the innings after stretching his last-wicket partnership with Adil Rashid, who contributed an unbeaten 15. 

Before their crucial 30-run stand on a tricky Ahmedabad pitch, all of England's top 9 players had also crossed the 10-run mark and finished with double-digit scores as the defending champions finished with a competitive total of 282/9 after a middle-order collapse. 


England bag unique record in marquee Ahmedabad opener

England had once set their eyes on the 350-mark after packing their side with batting up until No.11 where Wood is a capable lower-order batter in his own right and made a difference to England's fortunes with the bat in this summer's Ashes 2023 versus Australia. 

However, multiple England players failed to capitalise on their start, meaning the three lions had to eventually settle with a score below 300, which would've pleased the Blackcaps and raised their hopes of coming out triumphant in the marquee World Cup opener. 

England could still pat themselves on the back, however, for achieving the most unique record, which shockingly no other team in the 52-year-long history of the One-Day International game had managed to achieve. 

Over the years, teams have grown in their ability and depth with the bat but it took England's powerpacked batting line-up in 2023, five decades after the inaugural ODI fixture, to bag this rare feat thanks to a brilliant 10th wicket partnership between Rashid and Wood. 

Former Test skipper and giant at No.3 Joe Root was the one to lead the runs-chart on the day for his team with a free-flowing knock of 77 off 86 deliveries. No other England batter made a fifty but the extravagant Jos Buttler shaped up in great form throughout his 43 off 42 deliveries. The next best score for the innings came from opener Jonny Bairstow, who made 33 off 35 balls.