ICC World Cup 2023: England vs New Zealand , Match Details, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Head-To-Head, and Live Streaming Details

ICC World Cup 2023: England vs New Zealand , Match Details, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Head-To-Head, (Image Source: Google)

In the opening game of the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, the defending champions, England, will face New Zealand on October 5, 2023, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

England, led by Jos Buttler, aims to commence the tournament with a victory. Meanwhile, Tom Latham and his team seek to begin the competition on a winning note without their captain Kane Williamson.

In the latest information from Cricket New Zealand, it has been revealed that New Zealand's captain, Kane Williamson, won't be available for the first match. Williamson had recently made a comeback, scoring 54 runs off 50 balls in a warm-up match against Pakistan. 

He is returning to the team after an injury during IPL 2023. His fitness is of paramount importance for New Zealand as they prepare for the ICC World Cup 2023.

England and India are widely regarded as strong contenders for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. However, New Zealand should not be underestimated in this significant tournament. 

The England squad boasts exceptional players like Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, and Ben Stokes, while New Zealand also fields talents such as Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Tom Latham.

In the previous encounter between these teams during the ICC World Cup 2019 final, the match was nothing short of dramatic. England clinched the World Cup title in a thrilling Super Over contest against New Zealand. This captivating match sparked numerous discussions and debates among cricket experts and fans.

Match Details:

- Tournament: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

- Match: England (ENG) vs New Zealand (NZ), 1st Match

- Date: Thursday, October 5, 2023

- Time: 2:00 PM

- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Live Streaming: Hotstar, Star Sports Network 

Pitch Report:

The Narendra Modi Stadium boasts a combination of six black soil pitches and five red soil pitches. While the red soil pitches are known to offer extra help to seam bowlers in comparison to the black ones, the black soil pitches still present favorable conditions for bowlers, including good bounce. Nevertheless, as the match unfolds, the pitch tends to lose its pace, becoming more spinner-friendly.

Probable Playing XI

England: Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler (c), Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, Mark Wood

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tim Southee, Finn Allen, WA Young, DJ Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (C), MJ Henry, Trent Boult

England vs New Zealand Team

England Team: Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler (c), Sam Curran, Gus Atkinson, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

New Zealand Team: Trent Boult, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Rachin Ravindra, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mitch Santner, Ish Sodhi, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Southee, Will Young.

Head-To-Head

Total Match Played: 95

England Won: 45

New Zealand Won: 44

Matches with No Result: 04

Tied Matches: 02