World Cup 2023: Rachin Ravindra's century goes in vain as Australia beat New Zealand in last-ball thriller

James Neesham's fighting knock of 58 off 39 balls proved futile as Australia narrowly defeated New Zealand by 5 runs in a thrilling last-ball encounter. Despite Rachin Ravindra's impressive 116 and Neesham's late assault, the duo fell short of securing victory for their team.

Devon Conway and Will Young provided New Zealand with a strong start in their pursuit of 389 runs. The pair accumulated 61 runs in just 7.2 overs before Josh Hazlewood dismissed Conway. Shortly after, Young also fell victim to Hazlewood's bowling. However, a resilient partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra kept New Zealand's hopes alive. Mitchell contributed 96 runs for the third wicket alongside Ravindra before being dismissed by Zampa after a well-played 54 off 51 balls.

Ravindra then formed a 50-plus partnership with Tom Latham, but Zampa once again disrupted New Zealand's momentum by dismissing the Kiwi captain for 21 off 22 balls.

In an electrifying display of batting prowess, Australian players Travis Head and David Warner stole the show, propelling their team to an impressive total of 388 runs. New Zealand had invited Australia to bat first, a decision they would regret.

Right from the start, Head and Warner unleashed a barrage of boundaries, accumulating a staggering 118 runs without losing a wicket during the first powerplay. Both batsmen reached their respective half-centuries in record time, with Head achieving the milestone in just 25 balls and Warner closely following suit in 28 balls. Their partnership flourished, amassing a remarkable 175 runs before Glenn Phillips dismissed Warner for a commendable 81 off 65 balls. Shortly after, Phillips also claimed the wicket of Head, who had contributed a magnificent 109 off 67 balls.

Unfortunately, Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh failed to maintain the same level of intensity, allowing New Zealand an opportunity to stage a late comeback. However, Glenn Maxwell swiftly shifted the momentum back in Australia's favor with a blistering display of power hitting. Pat Cummins and Josh Inglish then joined the onslaught, relentlessly pummeling the ball to the boundary. Maxwell eventually departed after scoring a quickfire 41 off 24 balls, while Inglish managed a respectable 38 off 28 balls. Cummins, on the other hand, unleashed a brutal assault, smashing 37 runs in a mere 14 balls.