NZ vs NED: Aakash Chopra Says New Zealand's Victory Over England Was "Sweet Revenge" For 2019 World Cup Final Loss

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has voiced his belief that New Zealand exacted revenge on England for their heart-wrenching loss in the 2019 ODI World Cup final by delivering a commanding performance in the opener of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The Blackcaps cruised to a convincing nine-wicket victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, setting the tone for the tournament.

In 2019, New Zealand missed out on the World Cup trophy by the barest of margins, as England was declared the winner based on a superior boundary count after a thrilling final ended in a tie and the subsequent Super Over failed to break the deadlock.

England, widely regarded as favorites in the recent clash, was facing a New Zealand side grappling with injuries. The Blackcaps had just 12 players available for the match, yet they managed to restrict the defending champions to a total of 282 runs before comfortably chasing it down in just 36.3 overs.

Aakash Chopra, expressing his admiration for New Zealand’s performance against England, shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel, saying:

“It looked like New Zealand took revenge for the 2019 World Cup final loss. I mean, they completely dominated the opposition. England started as one of the favourites, but New Zealand made them look so ordinary,” said Aakash Chopra

England’s batting lineup faltered, with Joe Root and Jos Buttler’s partnership being the only highlight. Several English batsmen were dismissed untimely, and their shot selection left much to be desired. Chopra commented on England’s approach, suggesting that they may have relied too heavily on their reputation.

“What are you doing, England? It looked like they expected their reputation to do all the work. They wanted to play aggressive cricket, but it did not transpire on the ground at all. I saw so many poor shots towards the end, take Joe Root’s and Moeen Ali’s dismissal as an example,” he added.

Joe Root and Moeen Ali fell victim to Glenn Phillips’ part-time off-spin. Additionally, Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner delivered impactful spells with the ball for New Zealand.

New Zealand Wreaked Havoc After Losing Will Young Early

During the chase, England managed to dismiss Will Young for a golden duck, offering a glimmer of hope. However, from that point onwards, skipper Jos Buttler found himself powerless to stop the onslaught, as Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra took centre stage.

The left-handed duo shared a remarkable partnership of 273 runs for the second wicket, propelling New Zealand to a resounding victory. Devon Conway finished unbeaten with 152 runs from 121 deliveries, while Rachin Ravindra, named Player of the Match, contributed a superb 123 not out from 96 deliveries.

Aakash Chopra extended his admiration to New Zealand, particularly highlighting Rachin Ravindra’s performance:

“No one hardly rates New Zealand. They hardly play matches in between the two World Cup editions, no one plays big series against them, but they still come through,”  said Aakash Chopra.

“I was a bit sceptical around how Rachin Ravindra would fare against Mark Wood’s pace, but he was absolutely sensational. He played with maturity, he played under his eyes, close to his body, and he was absolutely brilliant,” he added.

New Zealand has already secured a commanding net run rate of +2.149, courtesy of their comprehensive victory over England in the opening match of the 2023 ODI World Cup. This impressive start sets them on a promising path in the tournament.

The Blackcaps will now face the Netherlands on 9th October in Hyderabad and looking at their form, it looks like an easy victory for New Zealand. However, there is still no confirmation about Kane Williamson or Tim Southee participating in that match, but looking at Tom Latham’s captaincy, it looks like the Blackcaps won’t miss Kane Williamson, at least for this encounter.