World Cup 2023 | NZ Start World Cup With A Bang As Conway, Rachin Ravindra Humiliate England
Devon Conway celebrates his World Cup 2023 ton against England (AP)
Brief Scores: England: 282-9 (50 overs) [Joe Root: 77 (86), Jos Buttler: 43 (42); Matt Henry 3/48 (10), Glenn Phillips 2/17 (3)] lost to New Zealand: 283-1 (36.2 overs) [Devon Conway: 152* (121), Rachin Ravindra: 123* (96); Sam Curran 1/47 (6)] by nine wickets
Less than a month after succumbing to England in three consecutive ODIs, New Zealand exorcised their prior setbacks to deliver a resounding drubbing to the defending champions at the 2023 World Cup. Devon Conway and experimental number three Rachin Ravindra illuminated the tournament opener in Ahmedabad with majestic run-chase hundreds, thus launching the Black Caps’ campaign with two crucial points upfront.
Joe Root orchestrates competitive English total
English openers Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan both squandered away their sublime starts at the top to hand New Zealand an early advantage in the game. Number three Joe Root, meanwhile, roared back into form to stabilize the innings. The senior English batter slapped his 37th ODI fifty, and ended up top-scoring for his side with a blistering 77.
Captain Jos Buttler also slapped a near-a-ball 43 as England charted a competitive 282-9 upfront. Notably, the innings featured each of their 11 batters scoring runs in the double-digits, marking the first such instance in ODI history.
Among New Zealand bowlers, new-ball speedster Matt Henry removed well-set Malan and Buttler before restricting England’s death-overs surge to finish with 3-48. Spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips also chipped in with the ball by sharing four wickets between them.
Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway hundreds flatten ENG
After New Zealand opener Will Young slumped to a first-ball duck within the second over of their monumental run-chase, the team management surprised one-and-all by promoting Rachin Ravindra up at number three at the grand stage.
The decision, as it turned out, proved to be a masterstroke as New Zealand hunted down the total with nearly 14 overs to spare. Ravindra himself registered his maiden ODI ton while Devon Conway top-scored in the innings with 152* as both took their side home without further casualty.
The nine-wicket win also granted ‘Black Caps’ their opening points of the 2023 World Cup, and they will go up against the Netherlands on October 9 in Hyderabad.