New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra named ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year for 2023

New Zealand's young sensation Rachin Ravindra has been named ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year for 2023. He became the first Kiwi cricketer to win the Emerging Cricketer of the Year award.

It was another feather in his cap for the all-rounder as he beat stiff competition from South African pacer Gerald Coetzee, Sri Lanka pacer Dilshan Madushanka, and India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal for the prestigious award.

Despite debuting in Tests and T20Is in 2021, Ravindra played his maiden ODI only last year. Yet, he mastered the 50-over format with incredible ease and was among the star performers at the 2023 World Cup in India.

Batting at the top of the order as an opener or at No.3, Ravindra finished as the fourth-leading run-scorer of the tournament. The 24-year-old scored 578 runs at an average of 64.22 and a strike rate of 106.44 with three centuries and two half-centuries.

Ravindra announced himself to the cricketing world with his 123* in the World Cup opener against England and scored his other two centuries against Australia and Pakistan.

Despite not much of note in the other two formats, the youngster finished 2023 with 911 runs and 23 wickets, cementing himself as a star in World cricket.

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"Whenever you get recognised by the ICC for something it is always special" - Rachin Ravindra

Rachin Ravindra was delighted to be recognized by the ICC for his outstanding performances last year.

With his exceptional showing in the 2023 World Cup, the 24-year-old equaled Kane Williamson's record from 2019 for the most runs by a Kiwi batter in an ODI World Cup. Ravindra also became the highest run-scorer in a debut World Cup.

"It's obviously a very special feeling. 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," Ravindra told the ICC.

Despite Rachin Ravindra's heroics in the World Cup, New Zealand fell short of their ultimate goal and lost to India in the semi-final in Mumbai.

Another 2023 World Cup hero Marco Jansen won the ICC Men's Emerging Player of the Year in 2022.

Other winners of the award in the years gone by include prominent names like Irfan Pathan, Kevin Pietersen, Sunil Narine, Josh Hazlewood, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant and Marnus Labuschagne, among others.