Ahmadabad: New Zealand thrashed defending champions England by nine wickets in the opening match of the 2023 Cricket World Cup on Thursday.
After England were bowled out for 282, New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra put on an unbeaten 273-run partnership to guide their team to a comfortable victory.
Conway scored 152 runs off 121 balls, while Ravindra made 123 runs off 96 balls. Both batsmen made their World Cup debuts in the match, and both scored centuries.
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New Zealand’s victory was their biggest over England in ODI history, and it also marked the first time that a team had won a World Cup match by nine wickets with more than 40 overs to spare.
Given that England defeated New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup final, the victory was particularly sweet for them. It was also a sign of the team’s strength and depth, with Conway and Ravindra putting on a record-breaking partnership.
The World Cup continues on Friday with Pakistan facing the Netherlands.
