Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra orchestrated a magnificent spectacle on Thursday, propelling New Zealand to a resounding nine-wicket triumph over defending champions England in the inaugural match of the World Cup.
In the absence of the talismanic Ben Stokes, who was sidelined with a hip injury, England found themselves restricted to a modest 282-9 after the Kiwis chose to field at Ahmedabad, home to the world’s most colossal cricket stadium.
Conway (152) and Ravindra (123), both left-handed maestros, then combined forces to construct an unassailable partnership of 273 runs for the second wicket. With a whopping 13.4 overs to spare, the Black Caps effortlessly surpassed their target.
This outcome sharply contrasted with the thrilling World Cup final encounter between the two teams at Lord’s in 2019 when England emerged victorious via a boundary count-back after the match had ended in a tie.
Reflecting on the extraordinary performance, Ravindra commented, “Sometimes it’s simply unbelievable, but it’s a joy to have a fantastic day out on the field. The bowlers executed their plans brilliantly, and we were fortunate to have Devon out there with us. Devon and I share a profound camaraderie.”
Guided by stand-in captain Tom Latham, as Kane Williamson was absent, New Zealand effectively subdued England, despite Joe Root’s valiant 77.
Ravindra and Conway made quick work of the target, peppering the opposition bowlers with relentless boundaries after the early departure of Will Young to the left-arm pace of Sam Curran.
Conway reached the tournament’s inaugural century off 83 deliveries, embellishing his innings with 13 boundaries and two maximums. He soon marked his 1,000 runs milestone in just 23 ODI appearances.
The 23-year-old Ravindra promptly followed suit, clinching his maiden ODI century off 82 balls, featuring nine fours and four sixes. He acknowledged the applause of the fans present inside the mammoth 132,000-capacity stadium.
Conway eclipsed his previous best score of 138 as he and Ravindra ruthlessly dismantled the bowlers, securing a resounding victory that also bolstered their net run-rate.
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, candidly admitted, “It was a disappointing day. New Zealand thoroughly outplayed us, but it’s merely one setback in a lengthy tournament.”
In the earlier stages of the match, New Zealand’s fast bowler Matt Henry registered figures of 3-48, while spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips claimed two wickets each.
Although Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow provided England with a brisk start, Malan was dismissed, caught behind off Henry, and Santner thwarted Bairstow’s innings at 33 with his left-arm spin.
Harry Brook took on Ravindra in the spinner’s initial over, notching two boundaries and a six. However, Ravindra had his revenge with the final delivery of the over. Brook, filling in for Stokes, attempted another colossal hit but was caught in the deep mid-wicket region.
Root notched his 37th ODI half-century off 57 deliveries, an innings adorned with two fours and a six executed with a reverse scoop shot. Yet, he fell to Phillips’ off-spin while attempting a reverse sweep, further hampering England’s progress. Adil Rashid (15) and Mark Wood (13) eventually ensured that the team completed their allotted 50 overs with an unbeaten partnership worth 30 runs.
