Rachin Ravindra
It was never going to be the opening game of the 2023 World Cup that would exact revenge for the 2019 World Cup final. However, a nine-wicket victory over England in the curtain-raiser in Ahmedabad will have more than satisfied New Zealand. The defending champs have taken a severe beating and may have suffered one of the tournament’s most resounding beatings.
Unbeatable black caps
With 82 balls remaining, a punishing southpaw combination of Devon Conway’s unbeaten 152 and Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 123—the five and one ODI centuries, respectively—helped the team reach the target of 283. Prior to Ravindra going one ball further to become the nation’s youngest century player in a major competition at age 23, the former beat Martin Guptill’s 88-ball record for the fastest 50-over World Cup century by a New Zealander, getting his up in only 83 balls. These two Wellington teammates currently form the Blackcaps’ most successful pairing in the history of the competition.
This beating was exposed by an act of impudence. Chris Woakes’ slower ball was chosen by Rachin Ravindra, who was watching the 2019 World Cup final in a Bengaluru bar, before Woakes even realized he was about to bowl it. His hind leg gave way like a flamingo’s when Ravindra swung it back over the bowler’s head for six.
At that point, New Zealand was already cruising to its nine-wicket victory with a run rate of just over four. Ravindra, however, saw no reason to slow down as the young player on the field displayed the daring cricket that is synonymous with England. So much for the slimmest of margins, as New Zealand easily won with 82 balls remaining when he flicked the winning run into the leg side.
