England commenced their title defense in the 2023 ODI World Cup without their hero from the 2019 World Cup final, Ben Stokes, who was sidelined due to a hip injury.
The all-rounder’s absence was felt as England faced New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium. They longed for Stokes’ experience in the middle-order, with the promising yet less seasoned Harry Brook filling his role.
Brook showcased his distinctive style, swiftly accumulating his initial 25 runs in just 15 balls, punctuating his performance with four boundaries and a powerful six off the left-arm orthodox spinner, Rachin Ravindra.
Nevertheless, Rachin had the last word when he dismissed Brook while the young batter attempted another ambitious slog. This time, he top-edged the ball, offering a catch to Devon Conway in the deep on the leg-side.
— No-No-Crix (@Hanji_CricDekho) October 5, 2023
With a sense of disappointment, Harry Brook gazed skyward, realizing that perhaps the ball wasn’t ideally suited for another pull shot. Interestingly, Ben Stokes, seated in the dugout, had a similar reaction as he observed the young talent missing out on capitalizing on his promising start today.
