England will take on New Zealand in the Mens Cricket World Cup ODI 2023 opener in Ahmedabad on October 5. This will be the rematch of the last year’s Final thus a thrilling fixture to start off the greatest show for cricket on the planet. The Three Lions will be led by J. Butler with B.Stoke coming out of retirement to finish some unfinished business on the world stage.
It will be a rather interesting battle between the two giants of the game especially in the Indian conditions. England did win the recently concluded ODI series against the Kiwis by 3-1 but the World Cup is a different ball game altogether. In this article. we will shed light on the strengths of both teams and also give you an idea about the potential best-playing X1 players from both sides.
5 Players To Watch Out For
J.Bairstow
The right-hand batter can create havoc in the opposition bowling attack when on his best run of form. He has stacked 3653 runs overall in 98 ODI matches with the centurion match awaiting him this tournament. With an onus of providing a strong start to the England team, all eyes will be upon him to deliver from the front.
D.Mitchell
The all-rounder is a trump card in the Kiwi team. A good attacking intent from the bat and potent pack bowling prowess he certainly is a pillar that his team can rely on. With over 1000 runs in ODI career and 13 wickets with the ball, he can contribute hugely to his team’s goals.
T.Southee
Southee has been a crucial cog in the Kiwi bowling unit and has been leading from the front. He was the team’s leading wicket-taker over the last year scalping 15 wickets in 9 matches, what’s more impressive is that he has maintained a bowling average of 28 during the same run. The recently concluded series might not have been a fruitful one for the Kiwis but the veteran pacer did show signs of comeback.
A.Rashid
Another key player for the England team that can turn the tides of the game in their favour. A. Rashid has been Three Lion’s leading wicket-taker over the last year with 18 wickets to his name in just 8 innings. With Indian conditions at play, a spin attack by Rashid could certainly hamper the Kiwi batting lineup.
D.Malan
An exceptional batter who has been performing well over the last year for the Three Lions. Having hammered 727 runs in 12 innings with an average of 66 he certainly comes into this tournament on the back of good form and confidence. With an arsenal of strong batting skills and shot selection, he would be looking to light up the world stage in the opener against New Zealand.
Predicted Playing X1
ENG: H. Brook, J. Root, M. Ali, S. Curran, L. Livingstone, J. Willey, B. Stokes, J. Buttler (C), J. Bairstow, A. Atkinson, R. Topley
NZ: F. Allen, D. Conway, W. Young, D. Mitchell, M. Santner, R. Ravindra, G. Phillips, T. Latham (C), T. Southee, M. Henry, T. Boult
Fantasy Playing X1 Picks
Wicket-keeper – J. Buttler
Batters – H. Brook, D. Conway, J.Root, J. Bairstow [VC]
All-rounders – B. Stokes [C], S. Curran
Bowlers – T. Southee, T. Boult, R. Topley, M. Henry
Match Prediction:
England are looking like a strong contender for this year’s Men’s World Cup and to stay true to this status they will have to get a strong start against the Kiwis. The Three Lions have got a good backbone of star batters and all-rounders that can inflict heavy damage on the Kiwi team. Perhaps the batting might of the English team will be too hot to handle for the New Zealand side.
