- Tuesday, April 22, 2025
The clash is a rematch of the epic 2019 final
By: Pramod Thomas
A COMMENDABLE bowling performance from pacer Matt Henry (3 for 48) and spinners Mitchell Santner (2 for 37) and Glenn Philips (2 for 17) saw New Zealand restricting defending champions England to 282 for 9 in 50 overs in the inaugural match of World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Thursday (5).
England captain and wicket-keeper-batter Jos Buttler (43 off 42) lifted his team’s scoring rate after England lost four wickets for 118 runs in 21.2 overs. However, it was just when his partnership with Joe Root (77 off 86) looked threatening, Henry got the better off Buttler who was caught behind by his Kiwi counterpart Tom Latham who won the toss earlier in the day and invited England to bat. Root and Buttler added 70 runs in 12 overs but the England captain’s dismissal ensured that the Three Lions’ plan for a 300-plus total was under considerable check.
England tried to maintain their attacking batting but some effective bowling from the New Zealanders, who were playing without some of their key players such as regular captain Ken Williamson and spearhead Tim Southee, ensured that the opponents kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and could never run away with the game. Roots’s dismissal in the 42nd over when he misplayed a reverse sweep against Philips put England in the danger of getting all out inside 50 overs but their tail-enders batted on to survive the full quota and England ended up with 282 for 9 on what looked like decent batting surface.
England openers Jonny Bairstow (33 off 35) and Dawid Malan (14 off 24) gave them a decent start by putting up 40 runs with the former slamming a six in the second ball of the innings. But none of the England batters went on to score big to help their side cross the 300-figure mark.
