Ravindra’s century propels NZ to Champions Trophy semifinals, eliminating host Pakistan
Rachin Ravindra’s brilliant 112 guided New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh on Monday, securing their spot in the Champions Trophy semi-finals and eliminating hosts Pakistan from contention.
The win in Rawalpindi also confirmed India’s place in the semi-finals of the 50-over tournament, while Bangladesh joined Pakistan in exiting from Group A.
With two wins from two matches, both New Zealand and India have secured their semi-final spots and will face off in Dubai on Sunday to determine the top two positions in the group.
Pakistan, the 2017 Champions Trophy winners, suffered defeats against New Zealand and India in their first ICC event as hosts since the 1996 ODI World Cup
Due to political reasons, India declined to tour Pakistan and instead opted to play all their matches in Dubai. If they progress to the final, Dubai will also serve as the venue for the championship match.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has been the dominant force in Group A, making a strong statement by defeating Pakistan by 60 runs in the tournament opener. Heading into their second match as clear favorites, they elected to field first after winning the toss.
Their bowlers put on an impressive display, with spinner Michael Bracewell leading the attack. He delivered a career-best performance in ODIs, claiming four wickets for just 36 runs, which helped restrict Bangladesh to a modest total of 236-9 in their allotted 50 overs.
Chasing 237 for victory, New Zealand encountered early setbacks, slipping to 15-2 and later 72-3. However, Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham steadied the innings with a crucial 129-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Latham contributed a well-made 55, while Ravindra’s magnificent knock was the backbone of the chase.
Although both batsmen were dismissed before the end, New Zealand comfortably reached the target with 23 balls to spare, sealing a convincing five-wicket win.
Their innings began on a shaky note when Bangladeshi pacer Taskin Ahmed struck early, dismissing first-match centurion Will Young for a duck. However, the Black Caps recovered swiftly and continued their dominant run in the tournament.
Ravindra reset
Bangladesh’s rising pace star, Nahid Rana, made an immediate impact by dismissing New Zealand captain Kane Williamson for just five runs. The delivery, clocked at an impressive 148.8 kilometers per hour, caught Williamson behind, giving Bangladesh an early breakthrough.
New Zealand’s innings, already off to a shaky start, saw Rachin Ravindra step in to stabilize the chase. Ravindra, who had recently recovered from a nasty blow to his forehead during a tri-series match against Pakistan, joined forces with Devon Conway to rebuild the innings.
Conway counterattacked with a series of crisp boundaries, racing to 30 runs. However, Bangladesh soon regained control as Mustafizur Rahman delivered a sharp, well-directed delivery that hurried onto Conway, forcing an inside edge that dragged the ball onto his stumps. With that wicket, Bangladesh halted New Zealand’s momentum temporarily.
Despite the setback, Ravindra remained composed at the crease. He found strong support in fellow left-hander Tom Latham, who had already demonstrated his batting prowess with a century in New Zealand’s opener against Pakistan. The two batsmen navigated through the middle overs, steadily building a formidable partnership.
After reaching his half-century, Ravindra took charge of the innings, confidently dictating terms to the bowlers. He brought up his fourth ODI century with a single off Rana and acknowledged the roaring applause by raising his bat in celebration.
His innings finally came to an end when he attempted a big shot off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain but was caught at long-on. Soon after, wicketkeeper-batsman Latham was run out, adding a touch of late drama to the chase. However, New Zealand remained unshaken. Glenn Phillips, who remained unbeaten on 21, and Michael Bracewell, who hit the winning boundary, ensured their side comfortably crossed the finish line.
Bracewell was later named Player of the Match for his all-round contribution, particularly his outstanding bowling performance. His impact was felt from his very second delivery when he dismissed Tanzid Hasan for 24, cutting short a promising start for Bangladesh.
Despite commendable efforts from skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, who played a solid knock of 77, and Jaker Ali, who contributed 45, Bangladesh struggled to build a dominant total. Bracewell continued to make crucial breakthroughs, keeping the opposition in check.
He received valuable support from New Zealand’s fast bowlers, with young pacer Will O’Rourke chipping in with two wickets, helping ensure Bangladesh’s innings never truly gained momentum. Ultimately, New Zealand’s disciplined bowling and composed batting secured them a well-earned victory and a place in the semi-finals.
Teams
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman
New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK), Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
TV Umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
