England vs New Zealand Prediction: New Zealand came back strongly in the T20 series to level it 2-2

England will be facing off against New Zealand in the inaugural game of the ODI Series being played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. New Zealand came back strongly in the T20 series to level it 2-2. Can they have a great start to the game? Who will win this game?

England made a strong start to the T20 series, securing victories in the first two matches of the 4-game series. However, they relinquished their advantage, allowing the visiting team to draw level.

In preparation for the ODI World Cup, England has introduced several changes to the squad. A notable addition is Ben Stokes, who had announced his retirement from the format last year. However, his role may primarily be as a batsman.

While Harry Brook will be absent for this series, the return of Jason Roy and Joe Root will bolster the batting lineup. England continues to possess impressive batting depth, having pioneered the strategy of relentless attacking in ODI cricket. This approach could prove pivotal, especially with the World Cup taking place in India, where high scores are the norm.

Gus Atkinson, who made an impressive T20 debut, retains his place in the squad. He will be joined by Reece Topley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, and Brydon Carse in the seam bowling department, while Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali provide quality spin options.

Crucially, England's ability to take wickets during the middle overs, with the likes of Wood and Rashid, will be a key factor in this contest.

Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jason Roy, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler (c), Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Reece Topley, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

New Zealand has staged a remarkable comeback in the final two T20 matches, and they will enter this contest with a surge in confidence. Their primary aim is to secure a victory and gain an early advantage.

Similar to the hosts, New Zealand has introduced some changes to the squad, focusing on preparing their players for the upcoming marquee event in October. Henry Nicholls will be joining the team, and it's likely he will take on an opening role. He has displayed excellent form in recent ODIs and Test matches, and the team will rely on him to deliver a substantial innings.

Will Young is another dependable performer in the top order, while Tom Latham, who will also captain the team in the 50-over format, holds a pivotal role in the middle order. New Zealand boasts a plethora of all-rounders in its lineup, mirroring England's setup, which provides them with adaptability to suit the playing conditions.

With the return of Trent Boult, the pace attack gains added potency. Boult joins the other seamers who featured in the T20s. However, the absence of Ish Sodhi means that Mitchell Santner is the lone quality spinner in the squad. The absence of a frontline wrist-spinner could potentially be a disadvantage for New Zealand.

Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Tom Latham (c, wk), Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Trent Boult

The Sophia Gardens pitch doesn't favour easy batting. It's covered with grass, offering seamers substantial movement off the pitch. During the initial phase, batsmen will need to exercise caution. However, as the match progresses and the lights come on, the pitch tends to become more batsman-friendly. Typically, a par score on this pitch is around 240. The weather forecast predicts a somewhat cloudy day with temperatures ranging between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Despite New Zealand's commendable performance in levelling the T20 series over the past week, the home team has implemented some changes that are expected to bolster their performance, particularly in batting. Consequently, we believe that the advantage lies with the home team.