England v New Zealand LIVE: Result and reaction from Cricket World Cup 2023 opener as Kiwis win by nine wickets

England take on New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup opener at the 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad

Freddie Flintoff speaks on camera for first time since Top Gear horror crash

England’s World Cup defence began with a punishing nine-wicket defeat in Ahmedabad as New Zealand helped themselves to a slice of revenge four years in the making.

Organisers scheduled a repeat of the 2019 final to kick off this year’s tournament, but rather than a nail-biter to match the tension of that Lord’s classic, they had to settle for a thoroughly one-sided affair.

England needed a super over and a boundary countback to get their hands on the trophy last time around, but two majestic hundreds from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra meant the Black Caps romped home in the rerun with almost 14 overs to spare.

Conway finished 152 not out while his Wellington team-mate Ravindra reeled off an unbeaten 123 - more than double his previous ODI best.

The absence of Ben Stokes with a hip injury robbed the reigning champions of some middle-order firepower but their score of 282 for nine was nowhere near enough to constrain an outstanding Kiwi chase.

Follow the latest news and updates from England vs New Zealand below and get the latest match odds and tips here.

Cricket World Cup 2023: England vs New Zealand

• England take on New Zealand in the opening match of the Cricket World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
• Ben Stokes misses World Cup opener with hip injury
• New Zealand win the toss and decide to bowl first
• England score 282-9 from their innings, New Zealand set 283 to win
• Wicket! Conway out for a golden duck! New Zealand 10-1
• Ravindra scores 50! New Zealand 99-1
• Conway scores 50! New Zealand 106-1
• Conway scores 100! New Zealand 193-1
• Ravindra scores 100! New Zealand 214-1
• New Zealand win by nine wickets!

[5 October 2023 15:56 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 245-1 (34) Conway 120, Ravindra 117, Ali 0-58 (9) need 38 runs to win

Conway and Ravindra have batted superbly, the only question remaining is whether they will see their side home.

Ravindra carts Ali for another six over midwicket, a touch fuller and successfully dispatched. He has not mistimed one all innings, just incredible, and he follows it up with another four.

[5 October 2023 15:53 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 234-1 (33) Conway 119, Ravindra 107, Curran 1-27 (5) need 49 runs to win

Curran back in to bowl and he has the only wicket of the innings so far.

Starts with a back-of-the-hand slower ball, but I think it’s a case of formality now.

Barring something exceptional from England that there hasn’t been a hint of yet, it’s looking like New Zealand will cruise to victory and the defending champions will be left scratching their heads.

[5 October 2023 15:47 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 225-1 (32) Conway 117, Ravindra 102, Ali 0-47 (8) need 57 runs to win

These two have batted absolutely exceptionally, but England will have to step up. Hopefully, it will be a catalyst, the batting performance was sub-par but this bowling performance has been far from the clinical line and length you would expect from the defending champions.

Ravindra’s century the youngest by a New Zealand batsman in a World Cup, and what a way to announce yourself on the world stage.

Buttler fumbles one, could that have been a chance?

[5 October 2023 15:44 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 222-1 (31), Conway 115, Ravindra 100, Livingstone 0-8 (2) need 61 runs to win

Conway has looked to accelerate the next ball, maybe with one eye on the net run rate...

[5 October 2023 15:42 · Sonia Twigg]

Ravindra 100! New Zealand 214-1

Will Ravindra get his century this over? He gets a single off the first ball...

Buttler chooses not to bring the field up, Livingstone runs up and pulls out last minute holding his chest.

But he does get it! This is turned away into the leg side, and the 23-year-old has his century, a brilliant century from the Kiwi youngster.

[5 October 2023 15:40 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 211-1 (30), Conway 110, Ravindra 98, Ali 0-43 (7) need 72 runs to win

The next will be Ali’s seventh, and it’s starting to look like there isn’t anything England can do to break this partnership.

Just the two from that over as well.

[5 October 2023 15:38 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 209-1 (29), Conway 109, Ravindra 97, Livingstone 0-1 (1) need 74 runs to win

Liam Livingstone will have a chance to find the elusive breakthrough, although it is unlikely to have any effect even if it does come now.

Just the one run from the over, it’s been a long time since one went for so few, but they just need 74 runs to win and there’s a lot of time left in this match.

[5 October 2023 15:34 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 206-1 (28), Conway 107, Ravindra 97, Ali 0-40 (6) need 75 runs to win

Will Ravindra get there this over too? He has already hit a four first ball of the over to move on to 95.

He will have to wait another over, but is edging closer on 97.

[5 October 2023 15:30 · Sonia Twigg]

New Zealand 200-1, Conway 106, Ravindra 91, Wood 0-55 (5) need 83 runs to win

Conway’s century came up after the first ball of the over, with a low-key celebration, there is still a game to win but what a brilliant milestone.

He follows it up later in the innings with a lovely stroke to the cover boundary for four, 143.3kph but that has just meant it raced across the surface.

And the 200 comes up in that over as well

[5 October 2023 15:26 · Sonia Twigg]

Conway 100! New Zealand 193-1

He has played very well for that! First hundred of the tournament, silence and a belated achievement, it has been an incredible century, and what a way to lay down a marker in the first match.