Blackcaps allrounder Rachin Ravindra has received another accolade, named as the ICC Emerging Men's Cricketer of the Year for 2023.
The Wellingtonian beat out competition from India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, South Africa allrounder Gerald Coetzee and Sri Lanka seamer Dilshan Madushanka. He's the first Kiwi to win the award.
"It's obviously a very special feeling," said Ravindra. "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, 24, was the breakout star for New Zealand at the Cricket World Cup in India, where he scored 578 runs at an average of more than 64, with centuries against England, Australia and Pakistan.
Only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma of India, and South Africa's Quinton de Kock scored more runs than the young Kiwi at the tournament.
With the ball, Ravindra complemented his World Cup runscoring feats with six wickets. His efforts at theevent saw him net a NZ$350,000 deal to play in the Indian Premier League with Chennai Super Kings.
While Ravindra is the first Kiwi to win the award, Hamish Marshall (2004), Ross Taylor (2007), Jesse Ryder (2009), Doug Bracewell (2012), Trent Boult (2013), Corey Anderson and James Neesham (2013), and Finn Allen (2022) have all previously been nominated.
