The days when the ODI World Cup represented the pinnacle of the sport are long gone. Now, it is a snapshot of where the game stands. The 2023 World Cup opener, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, pitches the world’s deepest batting line-up, reflecting modern times, against a side with a can-do attitude.
For England, New Zealand has joined Australia as the most determined competitor. Sans the political and historic subtexts in the sport, it offers, in many ways, a more wholesome, less fraught rivalry than its Ashes rival.
England is currently sweating on all-rounder Ben Stokes’ fitness as he is nursing a hip niggle. Harry Brook could bat at No. 4 if Stokes is sidelined. England’s middle order boasts a cluster of left-handers, but Liam Livingstone and Brook can provide variety. Employing off-cutters during the middle overs could be an effective strategy against the right-hand/left-hand combination.
