Cricket World Cup 2023: First match to be played between England and New Zealand

AHMEDABAD: Cricket World Cup 2023 will start today in India, the defending champions England and New Zealand teams will face each other in the opening match.

The finalist teams of the last World Cup, England and New Zealand, will enter the field in the city of Ahmedabad, India at 1:30 p.m. according to Pakistani time.

95 ODI matches have been played between the two teams, England won 45 while the Black Caps won 44, four matches were drawn without result and two matches were tied. The teams of England and New Zealand have met ten times in the World Cup. Both came out and won five matches each.

England and New Zealand teams have players who are capable of changing the map of the match at any time, England’s opening batsman Jonny Bairstow can prove dangerous for the Kiwi bowlers, besides England’s dependence on the middle order. Joe Root and all-rounder Ben Stokes, skipper Jos Buttler can also be a threat to the Black Caps bowlers.

In fast bowling, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood will be the main weapons of England, and Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid will show the magic of spin, England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes is likely to be out of the first match due to injury, on the other hand, New Zealand Dion Conway, Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell will be key in the Kiwi team’s batting, while Tim Southee and Trent Boult will take the wickets of the English batsmen.

Before the start of the mega event, the captains of all the teams participated in the press conference, the captain of the national team, Babar Azam, arrived from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad by a special plane on the occasion of Captain’s Day, on the press conference, the Pakistani captain Babar Azam and the Indian captain Rohit Sharma made a joint entry.