The 2023 Cricket World Cup gets underway with a rematch of the 2019 final between England and New Zealand.
It is now more than four years since the two sides contested a thrilling tournament decider at Lord’s, with England securing a first men’s World Cup triumph on boundary countback after a super over.
The two nations again shape as contenders in an open tournament this time held in India, with two ageing but well balanced squad possessing plenty of experience and quality.
The group stage of the ten-team World Cup will again be contested in a round robin format, with the top four finishers progressing to the semi-finals.
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When is England vs New Zealand?
England and New Zealand will play the first match of the Cricket World Cup on Thursday 5 October at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. The first ball is scheduled for 9.30am BST.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch every ball of the World Cup live on Sky Sports, with coverage of the opening game from 9am BST on the Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main event channels. Subscribers can also stream the action via the Sky Go app.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
Team news
Ben Stokes has emerged as a major doubt for England’s opener with a hip issue. The red-ball captain will only feature at this tournament as a batter due to his long-term knee injury and is unlikely to be risked in Ahmedabad. Harry Brook is the likely beneficiary in the middle order. After Jason Roy’s omission from the squad, Dawid Malan is set to open alongside Jonny Bairstow, while coach Matthew Mott must decide how best to utilise his all-rounders, with all of Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes in contention to feature.
Kane Wiliamson will miss New Zealand’s opening game as he continues to be managed carefully after returning from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Seam bowler Tim Southee joined up with the Blackcaps squad late after successful surgery on his thumb, and may also be given extra time to recover. The versatile Rachin Ravindra scored runs in the warm-up win over Pakistan and could be given a top order berth in Williamson’s absence.
Predicted XIs
England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c) (wk), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c) (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson.
Odds
England win 4/9
New Zealand win 7/4
