In the cricketing arena, a rising star has stepped into the spotlight, shedding the cloak of obscurity that surrounded him at the beginning of the championship.
On the cusp of his 24th birthday on the eve of the ICC World Cup final, this 23-year-old cricket prodigy, Rachin Ravindra, has firmly etched his name in the history books.
In just 31 days, he has become the talk of the town, achieving the remarkable feat of scoring three centuries on his debut in the World Cup, leaving cricket enthusiasts in awe, especially after his standout performance of 108 against Pakistan on Saturday.
Record-breaking Rachin
Rachin achieved this record-setting feat in the World Cup match against Pakistan at Bengaluru, smashing an impressive 108 runs in 94 balls, including 15 fours and a six, at a striking rate of over 114.
With this, Rachin has surpassed cricket stalwarts like Glenn Turner (1975, two centuries), Kane Williamson (2019, two centuries), and Martin Guptill (2015, two centuries), holding the record for the most centuries by a Kiwi batter in a single World Cup edition.
Rachin's meteoric rise
Rachin's three tons also mark a historic moment as the most centuries by a New Zealand batter in Cricket World Cup history. Notably, this third century by the all-rounder is also the highest by a batter in their debut World Cup, overtaking the records set by his idol, Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who had two World Cup tons before turning 25.
Rachin surpasses Sachin
Rachin has not only surpassed Tendulkar but also equalled him for the most runs in a single World Cup edition before the age of 25. In eight matches so far, Rachin has amassed an impressive 523 runs at an average of 74.71 and a strike rate of over 107, featuring three centuries and two fifties. His best score is 123*.
Standing as the second-highest run-getter in the tournament, he trails behind South Africa's Quinton de Kock, who has scored 545 runs.
Rachin vs Sachin
Comparatively, Sachin also had 523 runs in the 1996 World Cup before turning 25. With one more group stage match and potentially at least one knockout match ahead, Rachin has a chance to surpass Sachin's record.
A mere 10 runs away from breaking Jonny Bairstow's record of 532 runs (in 11 innings) for the most runs by a batter in their debut World Cup, Rachin a continues to make waves in the cricketing world.
