The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 kick-starts with the headline fixture, England taking on New Zealand, a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final. Jos Buttler's men come into the World Cup as one of the prime contenders alongside the Kiwis. (Scorecard | Match Blog | Full Coverage)
England's key player would be Ben Stokes, the all-rounder who came out of his ODI retirement to help his country retain the title. The dangerous Harry Brook is also in the squad alongside Jonny Bairstow, forming a dangerous middle order. The English bowling is too stocked with quality but will rue the miss of Jofra Archer. However, injury has already rocked the English camp ahead of their opening fixture. All-rounder Ben Stokes remains a huge doubt for the game against New Zealand due to a hip injury. “He’s (Stokes) got a slight niggle with his hip,” confirmed Buttler. “If he’s not fit to play, he’s not fit to play. If he is, we can make that decision. It’s not the time to take big risks on someone at the start of the tournament. Nearer the end, maybe you do take more of a risk with people’s injuries but it’s going to be a long tournament.”
New Zealand on the other hand, will not have their talismanic captain Kane Williamson, who though had played the warm-ups, and senior pacer Tim Southee as both are still on the recovery path after respective surgeries. Southee’s fitness will be monitored closely as he is recuperating from a recent surgery on his fractured thumb. The veteran pacer had dislocated his finger during the ODI series against England recently.
Watch: Tom Latham Speaks Ahead Of England vs New Zealand Tie
However, Daryl Mitchell alongside Devon Conway at the top will give New Zealand a great balance but stand-in captain Tom Latham’s lean run could be of some concern. Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi could have a field day if the track assists the spinners.
Squad:
England: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham (wk), Devon Conway, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee
Live Streaming information:
When and where can we watch England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match?
The England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match will be played on Thursday, October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad .
What time will the England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match be played?
The England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match will start at 2 PM (IST) with the toss scheduled to take place at 1.30 PM.
Where can I watch the England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match live on TV in India?
The England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India.
Where can I livestream the England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match in India?
All the matches of the ODI World Cup, including England vs New Zealand, will be livestreamed for free on the Disney+ Hotstar mobile app. For the website, one will need to subscribe to the package.
Will there be an opening ceremony before the England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 match?
As per multiple reports, there will be no opening ceremony before the England vs New Zealand ODI World Cup match.
