A standout of the recent ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India won the 2023 ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year. New Zealand kid Rachin Ravindra was crowned ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year for 2023 after a great year.
ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year Revealed
After scoring 578 runs in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India, Ravindra beat South Africa’s Gerald Coetzee, Sri Lanka’s Dilshan Madushanka, and India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal for the award. Ravindra was happy to be recognized by the ICC and stated he liked playing in several nations in his early career.
“It’s obviously a very special feeling,” Ravindra remarked as he accepted the medal.
“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
Rachin Ravindra excelled on the grandest platform in 2023, proving New Zealand’s “next player up” philosophy. While representing his country in the other two formats before 2023, he excelled in ODIs, appearing in March.
He started with a 49 against Sri Lanka and took successive three-wicket hauls against Pakistan and England away from home. Ravindra scored a fifty against England at Lord’s, but he excelled at the World Cup. Needing to step up in Kane Williamson’s absence, the left-hander scored 123* (96), ending New Zealand’s World Cup hopes.
Ravindra showed class despite increased scrutiny and opponent gameplans. Another half-century against India at Dharamsala followed a 51 against the Dutch. Ravindra scored 116 in a thrilling chase against Australia at the same stadium and another century against Pakistan in Bengaluru.
Only Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Quinton de Kock scored more runs for New Zealand than Ravindra’s 578. New Zealand’s Cricket World Cup lineup has to be adjusted to accommodate those forced out.
New Zealand took advantage of their situation again: Ravindra joined Devon Conway at 10/1 to chase England’s 283, looked at his first seven balls, and struck Chris Woakes for boundaries in back-to-back deliveries.
In another quick two-ball sequence, Ravindra hit Mark Wood for ten runs and reached his half-century with a six off his 36th delivery.
Rachin sent Liam Livingstone into the leg-side to reach three digits in 82 balls against Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid. He and Conway reached England’s score, and Ravindra played the final over in the 37th.
