Rachin Ravindra crowned ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year

• Rachin Ravindra wins the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year!
• He scored 578 runs for NZ in the 2023 World Cup.
• He scored a century against England.

The recipient of the 2023 ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award is a standout from the most recent ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

Rachin Ravindra, a teenage cricketer from New Zealand, won the 2023 ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award, capping an incredible year.

Ravindra won the coveted trophy after defeating Gerald Coetzee of South Africa, Dilshan Madushanka of Sri Lanka, and Yashasvi Jaiswal of India, the batsman, following an incredible ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India in which he scored an incredible 578 runs.

Ravindra expressed his happiness at being acknowledged by the ICC and mentioned how much he had loved starting his playing career and earning a living in many different nations.

“It’s obviously a very special feeling,” Ravindra said when accepting the award.

“Whenever you get recognised by the ICC for something it is always special.

“Reflecting back it has been a pretty whirlwind last year and having the opportunity to play so much cricket in so many different environments has been very special.”

Rachin Ravindra in 2023

820 ODI runs at 41, Strike Rate 108.03, 18 wickets at 46.61, economy 6.02

91 T20I runs at 18.20, Strike Rate 133.82, 5 wickets at 32.80, economy 9.11

An incredible year it was

In 2023, the “next player up” ethos in New Zealand was put to the test once more, but this time the Black Caps demonstrated the (importance) of their system as Rachin Ravindra found his footing on the grandest platform.

Even though he played for his nation in the other two forms prior to 2023, he really proved his mettle in the ODI format, when he made his debut in March.

He gave hints early on, collecting three wickets in two straight away matches against Pakistan and England after opening with a knock of 49. He also contributed with the ball.

Though Ravindra’s greatest success came during the World Cup, there was a fifty against England at Lord’s afterwards. In the absence of Kane Williamson, New Zealand needed someone to step up, and the left-hander delivered a knock of 123* (96), displaying class and mental acumen beyond his years.

Ravindra maintained his class despite the attention and opposition strategies that were now centered more on him. After a fifty-one-run knockout of the Dutch, a fifty-score versus India in Dharamsala ensued. Not content to stop there, Ravindra went all out at the back end, scoring 116 in a fierce chase down Australia at the same location before smashing another century in Bengaluru against Pakistan.

The only players in the competition to score more runs than Ravindra were Quinton de Kock, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, with a total of 578.

Memorable moments

There were concerns about how New Zealand would arrange itself for the start of the Cricket World Cup, given that they would have to rearrange things to make room for individuals who were ejected.

Rather than complaining about what they didn’t have, New Zealand once again made the most of what they had when Ravindra joined Devon Conway at 10/1 to chase England’s 283 and looked at his first seven balls before smashing Chris Woakes for two consecutive deliveries to start his charge.

In a subsequent explosive two-ball sequence, Ravindra swatted Mark Wood for ten runs and reached his half-century mark with a six off of just his 36th delivery faced.

Pushing Liam Livingstone into the leg-side, Rachin made three figures in eighty-two balls despite Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid’s spin. Conway and he easily reached England’s total, and it was Ravindra’s privilege to end matters in just the 37th over.

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