[Watch] New Zealand receive traditional Gujarati welcome after arriving in Ahmedabad ahead of World Cup 2023 opener vs England

New Zealand players arrived in Ahmedabad on Tuesday ahead of their upcoming World Cup 2023 opening encounter against defending champions England.

The showpiece event will kick off with a blockbuster clash featuring the last edition's finalists at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5. The Blackcaps were welcomed with dhol beats at their team hotel.

As the players entered the hotel, they were greeted by dancers who performed Garba, a traditional Gujarati folk dance. Sharing a glimpse of their arrival, the Blackcaps shared a video on their official Instagram handle. They captioned the post:

"Feeling welcome ahead of Game 1 🏟️ The team’s first match is on Thursday against @englandcricket."

It is worth mentioning that the 2019 World Cup final between England and New Zealand proved to be a closely fought contest. The match went down to the Super Over, but even that wasn't enough to separate the two teams as it also ended in a tie.

The Eoin Morgan-led England side were ultimately handed the trophy on the basis of boundary count.

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New Zealand secured wins in both of their World Cup 2023 warm-up matches

New Zealand faced Pakistan in their first World Cup 2023 warm-up match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on September 29.

Pakistan scored 345/5 after deciding to bat first, thanks to Mohammad Rizwan's 103-run knock and fine half-centuries from Babar Azam (80) and Saud Shakeel (75).

The Kiwi batters impressed with the bat, chasing down the imposing target in just 43.4 overs. Rachin Ravindra mustered 97 runs, while Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson were retired out after scoring 59 and 54, respectively.

Mark Chapman guided his team to a five-wicket win with a blistering knock, remaining unbeaten on 65 off 41 deliveries.

Kane Williamson and company then took on South Africa in their second and final warm-up match at the Greenfield International Stadium on October 2.

Devon Conway and Tom Latham starred with the bat for New Zealand, guiding the team to 321/6 after 50 overs. South Africa were 211/4 after 37 overs when rain interrupted play, eventually losing the contest by seven runs (DLS method).