New Zealand batsman Rachin Ravindra produced one of the finest innings while playing for Welsh Fire’s against MI London in the The Hundred. Partnering with Joe Root who was dismissed for just 29 runs, Ravindra went on to beat Jonny Bairstow’s 89 for the highest score for Welsh Fire in The Hundred.
Ravindra missed out on a well deserved century, but he hammered 98 runs in just 44 balls. After putting to bat first, Welsh Fire were 25/2 within early overs of the match. The Kiwi batter then took on the crease to hit his milestone half-century in just 22 balls. His 98 is the highest individual score in the men's competition for the Welsh Fire franchise, and ties for the fourth-highest score in The Hundred's history. Striking at an incredible 222.7, his knock featured seven fours and seven sixes, falling just two runs short of a century. Looking destined for a century, Ravindra unfortunately miscued a delivery from Trent Boult and was caught by Jason Roy just two runs shy of the milestone.
The New Zealand international also took the crucial wicket of James Vince when MI London's chase was going down to the wire, taking a brilliant diving catch off his own bowling to remove the set batter for 68 off 38 balls. The wicket left MI London needing 46 from 28 balls, though that was not out of the equation with the destructive Sherfane Rutherford in the middle. But Fire's seamers closed out the victory, led by Lockie Ferguson who took 4-27 including the destructive middle order trio of Jason Roy, Sam Curran and Nicholas Pooran.
Lockie Ferguson's four-wicket haul seals Welsh Fire's 15-run win over MI London
Welsh Fire defeated MI London by 15 runs at Sophia Gardens. Batting first, Welsh Fire recovered from an early 25/2 slump through a phenomenal 116-run partnership between Joe Root and Rachin Ravindra. Ravindra top-scored with a spectacular 98 off 44 balls, featuring seven sixes, guiding his team to 167/5. Chasing 168, MI London started strongly, reaching 72/1 behind a fluent 66 off 38 balls from James Vince.
However, Kiwi speedster Lockie Ferguson dismantled the middle order with a match-winning 4 for 27, removing key wickets like Jason Roy and Sam Curran. Ravindra sealed his Player of the Match performance by executing a sensational low caught-and-bowled to dismiss a set Vince, successfully restricting MI London to 152/6.
