The eagerly awaited ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is poised to kick off today, igniting a thrilling cricket spectacle.
In the inaugural match, defending champions England will clash with New Zealand at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a stadium boasting a staggering capacity of 130,000. This contest rekindles memories of their epic showdown in the 2019 final at Lord's.
This year marks the 13th edition of the tournament, and India plays host, having previously hosted the event three times in 1987, 1996, and 2011. However, this edition stands as a significant milestone, as it is India's first time hosting the event solely, with previous instances involving co-hosting alongside other subcontinent cricket nations. Remarkably, only England, the originators of the sport, have hosted the competition more times, totaling five occurrences.
The hosts, India, enter the tournament as strong favorites, aiming to replicate the success of the MS Dhoni-led side in 2011, the last time they hosted the event jointly with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Recent history also favors the host nation, with the past three editions of the World Cup being won by the host teams since 2011.
On the other hand, Jos Buttler's English team boasts the depth and talent to live up to their billing as one of the title contenders. Their strength will be further bolstered by the return of star all-rounder Ben Stokes, although he is likely to miss the opening fixture. England's formidable fast bowling lineup features Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, and Chris Woakes, in addition to Stokes, who has come out of one-day retirement to play solely as a batsman. Notably, eight members of the squad that secured victory on home soil in the 2019 World Cup under Eoin Morgan are part of the current lineup.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Buttler acknowledged the challenge presented by New Zealand, with whom they had a memorable final in 2019, ending in a tie and being decided by boundary countback in favor of England.
Meanwhile, New Zealand, often seen as underdogs, will be without their captain Kane Williamson in the opening match due to a knee injury. Pacer Tim Southee will also miss the game as he continues his recovery from recent surgery. Despite their underdog status, New Zealand remains determined to clinch their maiden World Cup title after reaching the semifinals on eight occasions in 12 editions.
Interim skipper Tom Latham expressed excitement about the tournament and the unique opportunity to play in India. The tournament's opening was preceded by a Captain's Day event, where all participating teams' captains gathered at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Lastly, Bangladesh, one of the ten qualified teams, will commence their campaign against Afghanistan on Saturday in Dharamsala, having earned their spot by finishing third in the World Cup Super League.
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