England’s start
England, after being invited to bat first, posted a competitive 282/9, with noteworthy contributions from Joe Root (77) and skipper Jos Buttler (43). New Zealand’s Matt Henry showcased his bowling skills by picking three vital wickets while conceding only 48 runs in his ten overs. Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips also chipped in with two wickets each.
New Zealand’s response
In response, New Zealand faced an early setback as opener Will Young was dismissed for a first-ball duck. However, this proved to be the only success for England as the duo of Conway and Ravindra embarked on a ruthless assault against the English bowling attack. Conway and Ravindra displayed their dominance against both pacers and spinners. They reached the century mark for their team in the 13th over and continued to decimate the opposition bowlers.
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Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra sets a new record
Conway achieved a magnificent century off 83 balls, while Ravindra reached his maiden century in the ODI format in just 82 deliveries. Both left-handed batters remained unbeaten and orchestrated an incredible 273-run partnership, guiding New Zealand to victory in only 36.2 overs. This partnership not only stands as the highest for any wicket against England in ODI World Cup history but also shattered the previous record for the highest partnership in an ODI World Cup run chase.
The previous record was held by Sri Lanka‘s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga, who shared an unbeaten 231-run opening partnership against England in the 2011 World Cup. New Zealand’s impressive performance in the opening match has set the tone for an exhilarating tournament.
Also READ: World Cup 2023: England scripts a unique ODI batting record against New Zealand
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