The first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will be played England vs New Zealand on October 5th, 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. Both teams are evenly matched and are considered to be one of the favorites to win the tournament.
England is the defending champion and has a very strong team. They have a good balance of batting and bowling, and their players are in good form. Some of their key players include Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, and Jofra Archer.
New Zealand is also a very strong team. They have a very good batting lineup, led by Kane Williamson. They also have a good bowling attack, led by Trent Boult and Tim Southee.
The head-to-head record between England and New Zealand is very close. England has won 50 matches, while New Zealand has won 49 matches. The last time the two teams met was in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup final, where England won by 5 wickets.
Match Prediction for England vs New Zealand :
The match is expected to be very close, but England is slightly favored to win. They have a more balanced team and their players are in better form. However, New Zealand is a very dangerous team and they can beat anyone on their day.
Playing 11:
England: Jos Buttler (c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Devon Conway, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Matt Henry
Pitch Report:
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India is a good batting pitch. The ball comes on to the bat nicely and the bowlers have to work hard to get wickets. However, the pitch can also be slow and low, which can make it difficult for the batsmen to score runs.
The pitch is made up of black clay soil, which gives it good drainage and makes it less susceptible to rain delays. The outfield is also very large, which can make it difficult for the fielders to stop boundaries.
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium has been used for a variety of cricket matches, including ODIs, T20Is, and Test matches. The average first innings score in ODIs at the stadium is 252 runs, while the average first innings score in Tests is 298 runs.
In recent years, the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium has become more favorable to batsmen. This is due to a number of factors, including the use of a new type of soil and the introduction of a new pitch curator.
Here are some key points about the Narendra Modi Stadium pitch:
- Good batting pitch, with the ball coming on to the bat nicely.
- Can be slow and low at times, making it difficult to score runs.
- Black clay soil with good drainage.
- Large outfield.
- Average first innings score in ODIs is 252 runs, while the average first innings score in Tests is 298 runs.
- Has become more favorable to batsmen in recent years.
Overall, the Narendra Modi Stadium pitch is a good batting pitch that can also be challenging for bowlers. It is a pitch that is well-suited for all formats of cricket.
Weather Forecast:
The weather forecast for the match is sunny, with a high of 32 degrees Celsius. There is no chance of rain.
Conclusion:
The first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is expected to be a very close match between England and New Zealand. Both teams are evenly matched and are considered to be one of the favorites to win the tournament. England is slightly favored to win, but New Zealand is a very dangerous team and they can beat anyone on their day.
