New Zealand batsman Rachin Ravindra said he is exceeding his own expectations at the World Cup after hitting a second century in the tournament during Saturday's narrow defeat by Australia at Dharamsala.
The 23-year-old announced himself on the World Cup stage with his maiden ton in New Zealand's opening victory over defending champions England before making half-centuries against the Netherlands and hosts India.
His 89-ball 116 against five-time champion Australia took his tally in the tournament to 406 runs and gave the Black Caps a fighting chance before they fell to a five-run defeat chasing 389 in the highest-scoring match in World Cup history.
"Yeah, I guess you probably look at it at the start and be obviously grateful to be here and how things have worked out," Ravindra said when asked whether he had performed better than he expected to in the showpiece.
New Zealand, runners-up at the previous two World Cups, are third in the table and in contention to reach the semi-finals.
Born to Indian parents, Ravindra has enjoyed plenty of support in the country and said the crowd in Dharamsala was among the best he had played in front of.
"As a kid you always dream of the crowd chanting your name and it was cool to see them do that on multiple occasions even when the Australians were batting and also when Jimmy Neesham did his thing at the end," Ravindra said. "I think it's always special, you soak in those moments and hopefully never really take them for granted."
Ravindra has also bowled good left-arm spin so far and is being seen as the most talented young player in the game, capable of succeeding in all formats of the game. Also, his performance in Indian conditions against pace and spin is expected to fetch him top dollars during the IPL auction for the 2024 season.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
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On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Match info
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Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
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Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
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'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
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On Women's Day
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Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
On Women's Day
Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action
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The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tomorrow 2021
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match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors

