England’s defence of their World Cup title began with a nine-wicket hammering at the hands of New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
The rematch of the final four years ago offered none of the tension of that Lord’s epic with the Black Caps cantering home in pursuit of 283.
They reached their target with 13.4 overs to spare - Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra both hitting stunning centuries.
Conway ended 152 not out and Ravindra unbeaten on 123 as the pair combined for a sensational 273-run partnership - the fourth-highest in men’s World Cup history - which rendered England’s attack toothless.
In contrast, England struggled to 282-9 in a lacklustre batting performance. Joe Root made 77 but a series of soft dismissals checked their progress.
They have to wait until Tuesday for their next match - a meeting with Bangladesh in Dharamshala.
The tournament continues with Pakistan facing Netherlands in Hyderabad from 09:30 BST on Friday.
Source - BBC Sports
- Agencies
