Cricket

New Zealand crush title holders England in World Cup opener

The outcome was a distinction to the epic World Cup last at Lord’s in 2019.

New Zealand handed defending champions England a nine-wicket thrashing on the Cricket World Cup on Thursday in the beginning of a marathon match more likely to dictate the occasion’s standing in the way forward for the game.

Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra smashed centuries to energy New Zealand to a crushing win over an England facet stripped of injured talisman Ben Stokes.

After proscribing England to 282-9, left-handers Conway (152) and Ravindra (123) placed on an unbeaten stand of 273 for the second wicket because the Black Caps comfortably overhauled the goal with 13.4 overs to spare.

The outcome was a distinction to the epic World Cup last at Lord’s in 2019 between the 2 groups when England gained a tied match on boundary depend again.

“It’s unbelievable and great to have a great day out,” stated Ravindra.

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New Zealand, led by Tom Latham in the absence of normal skipper Kane Williamson, stored England right down to a below-par whole regardless of Joe Root’s 77.

Conway hit the primary ton of the match off 83 balls studded with 13 fours and two sixes and shortly reached 1,000 runs in 23 ODI matches.

The 23-year-old Ravindra shortly adopted together with his maiden ODI century off 82 balls with 9 fours and 4 sixes, elevating his bat to acknowledge the smattering of followers contained in the 132,000-capacity area.

“It was a disappointing day,” admitted England captain Jos Buttler.

“We were very much outplayed by New Zealand but it’s still just one loss in a long tournament.”

Poor turnout

The optics of a disappointingly low crowd made for grim viewing.

Only a couple of hundred spectators noticed the early passages of play earlier than floor officers claimed the determine rose to 40,000 for the later levels.

With the explosion of Twenty20 cricket each in international occasions and profitable franchises, the 50-over sport was already going through the largest disaster of confidence in its 52-year historical past.

“We believe strongly that ODIs should be World Cups only,” Mark Nicholas, the brand new president of the MCC, the physique liable for the legal guidelines of the sport, advised ESPNcricinfo.

“We think it’s difficult bilaterally now to justify them. They’re not filling grounds in a lot of countries. And there is a power at the moment to T20 cricket that is almost supernatural.”

He added: “In a free market, the most money wins.”

This 12 months’s World Cup has solely 10 groups however will take 45 days to finish.

By distinction, the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies in 2024 will see 20 nations compete in an occasion condensed into 4 weeks.

Furthermore, the short-form sport is broadly anticipated to be voted in as an Olympic sport for 2028 subsequent week.

Organisers worry stadiums for this World Cup will proceed to battle to draw full homes — a probable situation in matches not involving India.

The girls’s wing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party even despatched out messages providing as many as 40,000 free tickets for Thursday’s sport to girls, a senior celebration chief stated.

Pakistan ‘mystique’

The World Cup sees Pakistan visiting India for the primary time in seven years after an intense spell of brinkmanship which nearly noticed them boycott the World Cup.

Babar Azam’s workforce solely acquired visas two days earlier than they have been attributable to arrive at their base in Hyderabad the place they face the Netherlands on Friday.

Security fears over their blockbuster conflict with bitter rivals India on October 14 meant that sport was introduced ahead a day.

“I think there’s a bit of a mystique,” stated Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur of his workforce on Thursday.

“The Indian public loves cricket. They don’t get to see the likes of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammed Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, they don’t get to see them often.”

Of the 15-man Pakistan squad, solely two have ever performed in India.

With seats already all offered out for the India-Pakistan conflict, followers have been turning to the black market.

Tickets for a standard seat costing 2000 rupees ($24) have shot up greater than 25 instances to as a lot as 50,000 rupees ($600).

India have been champions the final time the match was staged on the sub-continent in 2011.

Under the match format, all 10 groups play one another as soon as with the highest 4 heading for the semi-finals.

The last takes place in Ahmedabad on November 19.


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