England achieved a historic record during their first innings in the opening clash of the 2023 World Cup against New Zealand. In a surprising turn of events, the explosive and formidable batting unit, led by Jos Buttler, managed to accomplish a rare feat – all 11 players scored in double digits in a One-Day International (ODI) match.
This remarkable milestone, unprecedented in the history of men’s or women’s cricket, was etched into the record books on Thursday, October 5, in Ahmedabad. England’s No.11 batsman, Mark Wood, remained unbeaten with 13 runs at the conclusion of the innings, securing this unique record. Wood, along with Adil Rashid, who contributed an unbeaten 15, crafted a crucial 30-run partnership for the last wicket on a challenging Ahmedabad pitch.
Before Wood and Rashid’s partnership, all of England’s top nine players had already crossed the 10-run mark and ended with double-digit scores. This impressive batting display came after a middle-order collapse, allowing the defending champions to finish with a competitive total of 282/9.
England had initially set their sights on reaching the 350-run mark, as their batting lineup extended all the way to No.11, where Wood, a capable lower-order batter, made a significant impact during the Ashes 2023 against Australia earlier in the summer. However, despite a strong start, several England players failed to capitalize on their innings, resulting in a final score below 300.
While the score might have fallen short of their initial target, England could still take pride in achieving a truly unique record. No other team in the 52-year history of One-Day Internationals had managed to accomplish this feat. Over the years, teams have improved their batting depth, but it took England’s powerhouse batting lineup in 2023, five decades after the inaugural ODI fixture, to create history thanks to a brilliant 10th-wicket partnership between Rashid and Wood.
In the match, former Test skipper and No.3 batsman Joe Root led the runs chart for England with a fluent innings of 77 runs off 86 deliveries. Although no other England batsman reached the fifty-run mark, Jos Buttler showcased excellent form with his 43 off 42 deliveries. The next highest score for the innings came from opener Jonny Bairstow, who contributed 33 runs off 35 balls.