World Cup 2023: Ravindra, Conway script New Zealand's nine-wicket win over England in opener

Rachin Ravindra (123*) and Devon Conway (152*) starred with the bat as New Zealand thumped England by nine wickets in the opening clash of the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Having opted to field, Matt Henry was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/48 to see off England for 282. Joe Root (77) scored a half-century while skipper Jos Buttler (43) was also among the runs. Apart from Henry, Rachin, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips were among the wickets.

Men's @cricketworldcup debut ✅
Maiden ODI ton ✅@aramco POTM ✅

What a day for Rachin Ravindra 🌟#CWC23 #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/YHx5Kn1VHF

— ICC (@ICC) October 5, 2023

In reply, Rachin and Conway forged an unbeaten 273-run stand for the second wicket to see New Zealand home in just 36.1 overs The chase was achieved without captain Kane Williamson, who still has yet to recover from a knee injury. Conway’s 83-ball hundred was the Black Caps’ fastest at a World Cup — but only until the 23-year-old allrounder Ravindra went quicker, off 82 balls, to also become New Zealand’s youngest century-maker. The duo had come together when Sam Curran dismissed Will Young for a golden duck. There was a sparse crowd for the start of the 13th edition of the 50-over World Cup, though the cavernous 134,000-seater stadium was slightly fuller by the time the one-sided match ended. Conway hit 19 fours and three sixes, while Ravindra hit 11 fours and five sixes, a total boundary count of 38 that exceeded England’s 27. None of the English bowlers were able to trouble the duo, with Mark Wood taken for 0-55 in his five-over spell. It was the first time two batters making their debut in the World Cup scored centuries in the same match. Put into bat, England didn’t get off to a quick start as anticipated. Jonny Bairstow scored 33 off 35 balls, while Dawid Malan managed only 14 runs despite being dropped early. They added 40 for the first wicket in 7.4 overs and New Zealand didn’t allow the run-rate to take off. When the spinners came on, the runs dried up further as Mitchell Santner dismissed Bairstow in the 13th over. Harry Brook tried to cut loose with 16 runs off Ravindra in the 17th over, but he ended up getting out caught off the last ball. England countered the two left-arm spinners by sending Moeen Ali up the order. It didn’t work as part-time offspinner Glenn Phillips clean bowled him for 11 runs. Root held the fort at one end after England was down to 118-4 in 21.2 overs. He then added 70 runs for the fifth wicket with skipper Jos Buttler. The duo batted in damage control mode, although Buttler did hit two fours and two sixes in his 43 off 42 balls. Root scored his first half-century in 10 ODI innings off 57 balls. But New Zealand got the breakthrough when Buttler was caught behind off Matt Henry (3-48). England kept losing wickets at regular intervals and New Zealand never really let any partnership blossom. Root and Livingston added 33 runs, before the latter fell to Trent Boult (1-48). Mark Wood and Adil Rashid threw their bats around to add 30 runs for the final wicket and saved England from an embarrassing 252-9. With inputs from The Associated Press