ENG vs NZ: England playing XI vs New Zealand, Match 1, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Predicted

England will take on New Zealand in the opening game of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in Ahmedabad.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is all set to begin. The mega event will see the top ten teams lock horns with each other, and there will be a total of 48 games in the tournament. This will start on October 5, and the finals will be played on November 19. The tournament's opener will be a virtual rematch of the last edition's finals.

This will be England taking on New Zealand at the world's biggest cricket stadium, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. England will be the favorites, while New Zealand can never be written off. But English team are playing pretty good cricket and will look to start their title defense with a win. Here we will talk about the predicted playing XI for England in the opening game.

ENG vs NZ: England's Predicted playing XI vs New Zealand

1. Dawid Malan :

Dawid Malan has been a brilliant addition to England squad. He has done a tremendous job at the top and will be opening the innings. The left-hander has scored 591 runs in nine ODIs in 2023 at a brilliant average of 73.87, with three centuries and three half-centuries, and will be looking to carry on.

2. Jonny Bairstow :

Jonny Bairstow is an aggressive opener at the top who can take on any bowling attack and on any surface. The right-hander has been the consistent batter at the top for England and has had some brilliant numbers. He will look to put pressure on Kiwi bowlers right away to provide a good start for England in the opening game.

3. Joe Root :

Joe Root is the perfect No. 3 in the line-up that has so many power-hitters. He has been their best batter over the years across formats and will play a crucial role in the coming tournament. Root will be playing the anchor role to set the foundation so that others can play freely, and that can be troublesome for New Zealand.

4. Ben Stokes :

Ben Stokes' return has improved England's chances to retain their title. It is because he is the best player when the pressure is on the biggest stage. Stokes was the one that took England to the finals against New Zealand in 2019, and he will be eyeing something similar. Stokes recently smashed 182 against New Zealand in the ODI series and is in great form. Ben Stokes has suffered a hip niggle ahead of the match, and a decision on his participation will be taken before the game.

5. Jos Buttler (c) :

Jos Buttler will be batting in the middle to take the game away from the opposition. With the pitch not helping the bowlers, Buttler can demolish any bowling attack. He is a one-man show, and being a skipper, he will be looking to deliver a captain's knock to get his team to start well with a win. Buttler has scored 548 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 110.48 in 2023.

6. Moeen Ali :

Moeen Ali has years of experience playing in India and is a key player for England with both the bat and the ball. He was part of the World Cup-winning squad in 2019 and will look to play another crucial role. His bowling will also be important for England. Moeen has scored 209 runs and taken 11 wickets in 2023 in ODIs.

7. Liam Livingstone :

Liam Livingstone is the game-changer on this team. He is one of the biggest power-hitters when it comes to hitting big sixes, and batting at no. 7 will give him the license to go after the bowling from the start. Livingstone has scored 186 runs in four innings and can change the course of the game in a span of a few overs if he gets going.

8. Sam Curran :

Man of the tournament of T20 World Cup 2022 that England won, Sam Curran, will be very important in the coming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as well. He is a genuine all-rounder who can win games in both departments. Curran has played in India in IPL and knows how the ball behaves here. His bowling will be more vital for England in India.

9. Reece Topley :

The left-arm angle is always the best wicket-taking option for any team. Reece Topley provides that skillset to England. The tall left-armer is a wicket-taking bowler at the top when it is swinging, then bowls at the death and restricts the batters to scoring runs. With his height, it can be pretty difficult to get away from New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

10. Mark Wood :

Mark Wood is one of the fastest bowlers in the world right now. And he is one of the few that can bowl over 150 km/h consistently, hits the bowl hard, and his pace can rattle any batter. That makes him pretty difficult to handle. Wood will be England's premier pacer and the biggest threat to New Zealand.

11. Adil Rashid :

Veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid is the specialist spinner for England, and he will be the one who takes wickets and restricts the batters in the middle overs. Rashid is the highest wicket-taker for England in 2023. He has taken 15 wickets in just 7 games and will have a big role on Indian pitches that help spinners.