The opening batsman scored an unbeaten 152, while Ravindra made 123 not out in their historic unbroken partnership, leading the team to a decisive nine-wicket victory.
The benchmark set by the 2019 World Cup final was so high that it seemed nearly impossible for England and New Zealand to replicate that magic four years later. As it turned out, the opening night of the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad on Thursday was quite one-sided. However, this time, the defending champions, England, faced a resounding defeat as New Zealand successfully chased down 283 runs in the 37th over, securing a nine-wicket victory with 82 balls to spare.
While the good-natured Kiwis won’t claim revenge, they certainly displayed remarkable determination. Devon Conway (152* off 121 balls, including 19 fours and 3 sixes) and Rachin Ravindra (123* off 96 balls, featuring 11 fours and 5 sixes) – with roots in South Africa and India – launched an aggressive onslaught that left England at a loss on how to counter.