Rachin Ravindra had a day to remember in his first Cricket World Cup match, as he scored an unbeaten century to lead New Zealand to a stunning nine-wicket victory over England in the tournament opener. The 23-year-old left-handed batter, who is also a handy left-arm spinner, came in at No. 3 and smashed 123 runs off 86 balls, hitting five sixes and 11 fours. He shared an unbroken 273-run partnership with his Wellington team-mate and close friend Devon Conway, who made 152 runs off 113 balls.
A tribute to his cricket-mad parents
Ravindra’s parents, who were born in India and moved to New Zealand when he was a child, were in the stands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to witness their son’s heroics. They had named him after two of India’s greatest batters, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, combining the first syllables of their names. Ravindra said he was lucky to be named after them and felt a sense of family connection whenever he visited India. He also thanked his parents for their support and guidance throughout his cricket journey.
A versatile and fearless cricketer
Ravindra, who stands at 6 feet 4 inches, is a versatile and fearless cricketer who can bat anywhere in the order and bowl effective spin. He made his international debut in May this year against England in a Test match, where he took two wickets and scored 15 runs. He has also played six ODIs and four T20Is for New Zealand, scoring 254 runs and taking nine wickets across formats. He has been viewed as a project player by the New Zealand management, who have encouraged him to develop his all-round skills.
A star in the making
Ravindra’s performance in the World Cup opener has earned him praise from fans and experts alike, who have hailed him as a star in the making. He was named the player of the match for his brilliant knock, which was also the fastest World Cup century by a New Zealander. He also became the second-youngest player to score a World Cup hundred, after Ricky Ponting. He said he was happy to contribute to his team’s win and hoped to continue his good form in the rest of the tournament.
