The inaugural One Day International (ODI) encounter of the 2023 New Zealand tour of England is set to take place at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Friday, September 8th, 2023.

New Zealand displayed resilience by staging a remarkable comeback following their initial losses in the first two T20 matches. They clinched the subsequent two matches, resulting in a 2-2 tie in the England and New Zealand series. The significance of the upcoming four-match ODI series cannot be overstated. England’s remarkable start to the home series against New Zealand saw them secure victories in the first two matches. However, they lost their winning momentum and suffered consecutive defeats in the T20 matches against New Zealand. Both teams have introduced changes to their ODI squads, setting the stage for an intriguing series, as their strengths are now closely matched.

England initially had a strong position in the four-match T20 series against New Zealand, cruising to victory in the first two matches. However, their winning streak faltered as they failed to secure a win in one of the remaining two matches. Now, England is gearing up for a four-match ODI series against New Zealand, a crucial encounter for both teams, particularly England, as they look to solidify their best lineup for the upcoming ODI World Cup. England’s ODI squad for this series closely mirrors their World Cup squad.

The return of Ben Stokes to the England squad is a welcome development. Although Harry Brook performed admirably in the T20 series, he won’t be part of the ODI team for this series. The inclusion of Joe Root and Jason Roy adds significant firepower to England’s batting order. These two experienced batsmen will spearhead the batting lineup, complemented by Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, and David Malan.

In the bowling department, Gus Atkinson, who made an impressive T20 debut in this series, emerged as the most successful and highest wicket-taker for England. He continues to be a valuable asset in England’s bowling squad, joining the likes of Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, and Reece Topley.

New Zealand faced a less-than-ideal start to their England tour, encountering setbacks with two initial T20 losses. However, they rebounded strongly, instilling confidence in their upcoming ODI series performance. This ODI series carries significant weight for New Zealand as they seek to assemble their strongest squad for the forthcoming World Cup.

Henry Nicholls, previously absent from the T20 lineup, has now joined the ODI team, and his inclusion is highly anticipated. It’s likely he will assume the role of opening the batting for New Zealand, leveraging his experience in ODI cricket to contribute effectively to this series.

New Zealand’s top batting order boasts both strength and experience, with Henry Nicholls and Finn Allen set to lead the charge. Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, and Mitchell Santner will be entrusted with managing the middle and lower batting order, while the wicketkeeper-batters for the team include Tom Latham, Devon Conway, and Glenn Phillips.

New Zealand has bolstered its bowling unit with key players who were absent from the T20 squad. Trent Boult, a seasoned campaigner well-versed in English conditions, assumes the mantle of their lead bowler. His role in this ODI series is deemed crucial. Alongside him, the bowling unit features Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, and Tim Southee, collectively forming a formidable bowling attack for New Zealand.

In their ODI history, England has participated in 780 matches, securing victory in 393 contests, while their opponents have won 349 matches. Thirty matches concluded without a definitive result, and eight matches ended in ties.

New Zealand’s ODI track record spans 805 matches. Out of these, they emerged victorious in 369 encounters and faced defeat in 388 matches. Additionally, 42 matches involving New Zealand ended without a result, and six matches concluded in a tie.

In the head-to-head ODI clashes between New Zealand and England, there have been 91 matches. New Zealand has emerged victorious in 43 of these contests, while England has claimed victory in 42 matches. Furthermore, four matches between these teams concluded without a result.

According to the England vs. New Zealand prediction, England is the favored team to emerge victorious in this match. The factors contributing to New Zealand’s status as the favorite are outlined below:

• England, despite their recent losses in the two previous T20 matches, remains a formidable team.
• England has a track record of winning five out of the six most recent encounters against New Zealand.
• New Zealand’s batting lineup has regained its form and is performing well.
• England enjoys the advantages of playing on home turf, with the support of the home crowd bolstering their chances.

England boasts a strong overall team with considerable experience in the ODI format of cricket, thereby increasing their prospects of winning today’s match. The winning probabilities for both teams in today’s match are as follows:

England holds a 60% chance of emerging victorious.
New Zealand has a 40% chance of winning the match.

The toss will hold significant influence over the outcome of each match in this series. According to the toss prediction, the team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first.

The inaugural match between New Zealand and England is scheduled to take place at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. This venue is renowned for hosting one of the most favorable batting surfaces in England. Typically, it provides excellent bounce and carry to the seam bowlers, while the ball comes onto the bat smoothly, facilitating strokeplay for batsmen. Moreover, as the match progresses beyond the 20-over mark, the pitch tends to favor spin bowlers, offering assistance for turning deliveries. Nevertheless, during the initial stages of the match with a new ball, the pitch can also assist swing bowlers.

The weather forecast for the match day in Cardiff appears unfavorable. There is a high probability of rain throughout the day, which raises concerns about the possibility of completing the game.

England: Jos Buttler(W/C), Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, David Willey, Sam Curran.

New Zealand: Tom Latham(W/C), Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry.

Captain: Sam Curran
Vice-Captain: Joe Root
Jos Buttler, Johnny Bairstow, Tom Latham, Jason Roy, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Mark Wood, Reece Topley

• Date: Friday, 8th September 2023
• Time: 11:30 AM GMT / 12:30 PM LOCAL / 05:00 PM IST

• Stadium: Sophia Gardens
• Location: Cardiff, Wales
• Capacity: 5500 (15,000 after redevelopment)
• Known as: The SWALEC Stadium
• Ends: River Taff End, Cathedral Road End
• Time Zone: UTC +01:00
• Home to: Glamorgan
• Floodlights: Yes

• Total matches: 30
• Matches won batting first: 8
• Matches won bowling first: 18
• Average 1st Inns scores: 220
• Average 2nd Inns scores: 205
• Highest total recorded: 386/6 (50 Ov) by ENG vs BAN
• Lowest total recorded: 125/10 (34.1 Ov) by AFG vs RSA
• Highest score chased: 304/6 (48.2 Ov) by PAK vs ENG
• Lowest score defended: 169/10 (23.3 Ov) by ENG vs NZ

Jos Buttler(W/C), Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, David Willey, Sam Curran, Reece Topley, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson.