New Zealand were deemed unlucky to lose the 2019 World Cup final to England on the basis of lesser number of boundaries. However, there are some good Motera memories for the Black Caps. They are up against the same opponents as in the 1996 World Cup opener which they won on February 14. Thanks to Kiwi opener Nathan Astle’s 132-ball 101 and pacer Dion Nash’s 3-26, NZ beat Mike Atherton’s England by 11 runs here. In the 2011 World Cup game here, Daniel Vettori’s team outclassed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets. Stand-in skipper Tom Latham is happy that his team can capitalise on a happy hunting ground and lap up the good Motera vibes.

Tom Latham