Match 1: New Zealand Chooses to Field First After Winning Toss
Tom Latham, New Zealand’s acting captain, won the toss and opted to field first in the World Cup opener in Ahmedabad.
The Black Caps faced a significant setback with the absence of their two pivotal players, Kane Williamson, the regular skipper, and fast bowler Tim Southee.
England, too, had their share of worries with their star all-rounder, Ben Stokes, missing from the inaugural match. Stokes had only recently reversed his decision to retire from One Day Internationals.
The opening match of the World Cup is a replay of the 2019 Cricket World Cup final, where England narrowly defeated New Zealand to claim the championship.
Team Lineups:
England’s Playing XI:
Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c) (wk), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
New Zealand’s Playing XI:
Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c) (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult