Rachin Ravindra’s affinity for ICC tournaments continues to grow. Rising to prominence during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, the left-handed batsman has become a key player for New Zealand.
In Lahore on Wednesday, Ravindra showcased his impressive batting once again, scoring his fifth ODI century – remarkably, all in ICC events, a New Zealand record. This innings contributed to the Black Caps’ dominant 50-run victory against South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final, securing their place in the final.
Kane Williamson also scored a century, helping New Zealand achieve the highest score ever in Champions Trophy history. At the post-match press conference, Ravindra expressed his delight with both his own performance and the team’s overall batting display.
“Contributing to the team’s success always feels fantastic,” Ravindra said. “To do it in a convincing semi-final win is especially pleasing, and I’m incredibly happy.”
He admitted to a slow start, acknowledging South Africa’s effective bowling early on. “I didn’t begin as strongly as I would have liked. South Africa bowled very well, which initially restricted me. However, building partnerships with Will Young and then Kane was crucial. Working alongside my teammates was the most beneficial aspect.”
Ravindra emphasized the importance of patience in ODI cricket. “One-day cricket has its ups and downs. In a long innings, you’re likely to have periods where you need to grind. Having partners out there to support me was vital.”
On a favorable batting pitch, New Zealand’s batsmen capitalized, with Ravindra and Williamson’s 164-run partnership setting a strong foundation. Ravindra revealed that their initial target was lower. They were aiming for around 300-330 runs, but a powerful finish pushed them beyond that.
“We initially aimed for about 300,” he explained. “The pitch was slightly slow, and their cutters were holding up and bouncing more. So, 300 was on our minds. But then Kane began to accelerate brilliantly, and we realized we could score more. The explosive finish from Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, and the other guys ensured we reached 360.”
This substantial total proved to be more than enough, even on a good batting surface. Captain Mitchell Santner praised the Ravindra-Williamson partnership, highlighting its significance.
Santner commented, “The pitch was slightly slow in the first innings, but Rachin and Williamson set us up perfectly, and the finishers added the final flourish. That partnership was vital. Williamson maintained momentum through the middle overs, South Africa challenged us, but we capitalized and reached 360. We felt 320 might not be sufficient.”
New Zealand’s bowlers then effectively defended the total, stifling South Africa’s chase early on. Santner himself led the bowling attack, taking 3 wickets for 43 runs, including key dismissals of Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Heinrich Klaasen.
The left-arm spinner effectively used his variations, restricting the batsmen’s scoring opportunities. Santner’s dismissal of van der Dussen was particularly impressive, and removing the spin-specialist Klaasen was a crucial moment. Michael Bracewell, the other spinner, also contributed with a strong bowling performance.
“We took wickets in the middle overs and put pressure on the opposition. Our strategy is to apply pressure and take wickets in the middle phase. Michael Bracewell bowled excellently in the previous game, taking four wickets. I was pleased to take three today. It makes my job easier having four all-rounders who can bowl spin and contribute with the bat,” Santner added.
South Africa’s captain, Bavuma, conceded that chasing 362 was likely too challenging. He and van der Dussen both scored fifties, adding 105 runs for the second wicket, attempting to build a foundation for the chase. However, Bavuma’s slow start hindered their momentum, lacking the required pace for such a high target, even as van der Dussen accelerated.
Bavuma maintained that their chase was initially well-structured before losing momentum in the middle overs. “At 125/1 with me and Rassie batting, we were in a decent position. Unfortunately, we couldn’t establish that platform.”
“My dismissal was soft, and Rassie’s was a good delivery, leaving too much for the later batsmen. As I mentioned, at 125/1, we needed to be more assertive, prevent the opposition from recovering, and be ruthless, capitalizing on key moments.”
It was a tough day for South Africa’s bowlers, who were heavily scored upon. Apart from Aiden Markram’s part-time spin, none of the Proteas’ bowlers achieved respectable figures. Bavuma felt that failing to break New Zealand’s partnerships was detrimental. The Black Caps consistently built partnerships and maintained a strong scoring rate throughout their innings.
“We had a couple of partnerships today, but we needed either me or Rassie to continue and replicate what their batsmen did. They put us under pressure from the start with their off-side play and their middle-overs batting. Credit to them, particularly Rachin and Williamson, and also Mitchell and Phillips,” Bavuma concluded.
