Men’s ODI WC: Rachin Ravindra becomes first New Zealand batter to score three hundreds in the tournament

Bengaluru: Rachin Ravindra has become the first New Zealand batter to hit three centuries in an edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup when he reached the three-figure mark in the league stage match against Pakistan here at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, on Saturday.

Ravindra, 23, took a single off Pakistan fast-bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr. in the 34th over to complete his third century of this World Cup, after previously making a hundred against England (on World Cup debut) and Australia. He eventually made 108 off 94 balls, hitting 15 fours and a six at a strike-rate of 114.89.

The left-handed batter has gone past the previous New Zealand record held by Kane Williamson (2019), Martin Guptill (2015) and Glenn Turner (1975), all of whom had two centuries in an edition of the World Cups. Ravindra is the first batter to score three hundreds in a player’s debut edition of a World Cup in the tournament’s 48-year-old history.

During his sublime knock, Ravindra, who made his international debut in 2021, also crossed the 500-run mark at this World Cup, becoming only the third New Zealand batter after Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson to score 500 runs in a single edition of the World Cup.

Ravindra represented New Zealand in two Men’s U19 World Cups - in 2016 (in Bangladesh) and again in 2018 (in New Zealand). Fittingly, his third Men’s ODI World Cup century came in Bengaluru, the city his parents hail from.

Ravindra himself played whenever his father Ravi Krishnamurthy took his cricket club team to playing matches in the city, as well as at other venues in India. Co-incidentally, Ravindra was watching the thrilling 2019 Men’s ODI World Cup final, between England and New Zealand, in a Bengaluru Stock Exchange bar.