The opening match of the Cricket World Cup 2023 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium between defending champions England and New Zealand unfolded with high expectations. Anticipation ran high, with organizers gearing up for a packed house.
However, the stark reality of empty stands left social media users astounded and questioning the conspicuous absence of spectators despite robust ticket sales leading up to the event.
A mere quarter of the stadium was occupied, and this striking visual prompted an outpouring of posts on social media featuring images of the vacant seats. Fans and pundits alike wondered why the much-anticipated Cricket World Cup opener had failed to attract a more substantial crowd.
See The Viral Fan Post Here:
Really hope the Stadium gets filled a bit by evening.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 5, 2023
The World Cup opener deserves more public on the stands! pic.twitter.com/oDknm9qEGD
Even Danielle Wyatt, a prominent figure in England’s women’s cricket team, couldn’t hide her disappointment.
Where’s the crowd !?🤔🤔
— Danielle Wyatt (@Danni_Wyatt) October 5, 2023
As the tournament commenced, New Zealand’s Tom Latham, stepping into the role of skipper with Kane Williamson sidelined due to an ongoing knee injury, won the crucial toss and opted to bowl first against England, setting the tone for the ODI Cricket World Cup’s inaugural match.
Injury concerns took their toll on both sides, with Lockie Ferguson sidelined due to a nagging ailment for New Zealand, while Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee also found themselves excluded.
England faced its own challenges, missing the services of Ben Stokes due to a hip injury, while Gus Atkinson, Reece Topley, and David Willey found themselves watching from the sidelines.
The team line-ups for the match featured New Zealand’s Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and skipper Tom Latham, supported by Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, and Trent Boult.
England, on the other hand, boasted a formidable squad consisting of Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and skipper Jos Buttler, with Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, and Mark Wood completing their lineup.
The Cricket World Cup 2023 commenced with great expectations and enthusiasm, but the stark image of empty stands at the Narendra Modi Stadium took center stage, leaving fans, The opening match of the Cricket World Cup 2023 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium between defending champions England and New Zealand unfolded with high expectations. Anticipation ran high, with organizers gearing up for a packed house.
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