- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
New Zealand lost just one wicket in chasing down the target of 283 and had nearly 14 overs to spare with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra slamming unbeaten hundreds.
By: Shubham Ghosh
NEW Zealand, who lost the final of the 2019 World Cup against England under controversial conditions after the match had ended in a tie, avenged the defeat in the most emphatic way possible on Thursday (5) when they hammered the reigning champions by 9 wickets with nearly 14 overs to spare while chasing a competitive target of 283 in the opening game of cricket World Cup 2023.
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra slammed unbeaten hundreds to add 273 runs for the second wicket to take their side home and kick off the campaign in the 13th edition of the marquee tournament in style. Rvindra was adjudged the man of the match for all-round show of hitting a century and picking the wicket of England batter Harry Brook.
England posted a total of 282 for 9 in 50 overs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the Indian state of Gujarat with Joe Root top scoring with 77 after New Zealand’s stand-in captain Tom Latham won the toss and asked them to bat.
Matt Henry was the most successful of the New Zealand bowlers with three wickets for 48 runs. Spinners Mitchell Santner (2 for 37) and Glenn Philips (2 for 17) also chipped in to ensure England’s explosive batting line-up never ran away with the game.
New Zealand never looked having any problem in chasing down the target in just 36.2 overs with opener Conway belting 152 not out and Ravindra 123 not out. It was the first time that two New Zealand batters scored centuries in a World Cup game. Will Young was the only New Zealand wicket to fall during the chase and he was picked by Sam Curran.
Both sides missed some key players due to injury in the game. While New Zealand did not have in their ranks captain Ken Williamson and Tim Southee, England were without their ace all-rounder Ben Stokes who returned from retirement in one-day internationals to play the World Cup.
