New Zealand opener Rachin Ravindra suffered a serious face injury after the ball struck his face while he was attempting to take a catch during the first one-day match against Pakistan at the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium.
On Saturday, when both teams clashed in the opening match of the ODI series ahead of the Champions Trophy. During the 37th over, Rachin fielding at deep square leg was seen positioning himself to take an easy catch. Pakistan's Kushdil Shah lofted the ball over square leg but didn't had enough to clear the fence.
It was fiercely travelling to Rachin, it seems like he would finish an easy catch but the youngster suddenly lost track of the ball and it him on the face. He faced towards the ground for a moment and blood started to rush out of his face.
He left the field as per health experts advice.
Netizens, expressed frustration as they felt it was due to bad lighting at the stadium. "Forget #ChampionsTrophy2025, Pakistan needs Basic Repair System for their stadiums first🤬 Cricket or blindfold challenge? Players deserve safety, not survival training!🙄 Hope Rachin Ravindra is recovered soon🙏🏻" a user wrote.
Meanwhile, Glenn Phillips with a century helped New Zealand beat Pakistan by 78 runs in the opening game of the tri-nation cricket series.
Phillips smashed an unbeaten 106 off 74 balls, including six boundaries and seven sixes. The No. 6 batter propelled New Zealand to 330-6 in its 50 overs on a flat wicket with Daryl Mitchell (81) and Kane Williamson (58) also getting the feel of the wickets for the upcoming Champions Trophy with half centuries.
In reply, Fakhar Zaman, playing his first international in more than seven months because of illness, made a belligerent 84 off 69 but the rest of the top-order batters struggled against spin.
Pakistan was bowled out for 252 in 47.5 overs.
Perfect day Phillips capped a perfect day by trapping Zaman leg before wicket with his off-spin and also took a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Babar Azam early in Pakistan’s run chase.
Babar struggled in his new role as opener in ODIs for the first time since 2015 and scored a painstaking 10 runs off 23 balls.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner (3-41) clipped the top-order with his left-arm spin while Bracewell took 2-41.
New Zealand, which is already sweating on the fitness of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, had another injury scare when the ball hit Rachin Ravindra in the face as he misjudged a catch of Khushdil Shah in the outfield and had to leave the field.
Fast bowler Matt Henry chipped in with 3-55.
No. 10 batter Abrar Ahmed hit an unbeaten 25 that included three successive boundaries off Henry.
Phillips power Phillips unleashed his power-hitting against Pakistan’s two premier fast bowlers – Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah -- in the last five overs that cost the home team 84 runs.
Pakistan, which lost the toss, had kept New Zealand in check at 246-5 before Phillips cut loose against the two pacers.
Williamson, playing his first ODI since November 2023, took his time to settle down. He reached the slowest ODI half century of his career in 82 balls before he edged Afridi after sharing a 95-run stand with Mitchell.
Mitchell survived a close run-out at the non-striker’s end before he had scored when Babar couldn’t hit the stumps from close range, but settled in well to score nearly a run-a-ball before chipping a catch to mid-wicket against a low full toss from Ahmed (2-41).
Pakistan suffered a major blow in the latter half of the innings when Haris Rauf (1-23) had to leave the field due to side strain after he fell in his follow-through during his seventh over. He took no further part in the match.
Phillips switched gears when he smashed three sixes against Agha, who filled in for Rauf, and then hit an audacious reverse scoop against Afridi which went for a flat six over third man.
Phillips reached his hundred in an expensive 25-run last over of Afridi, who ended up with 3-88 in 10 overs. Michael Bracewell hit 31 in 23 balls.
Coming up Gaddafi Stadium is one of the three venues to be upgraded for the Champions Trophy.
Karachi and Rawalpindi will also host Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan.
Lahore hosts the second game of the tri-nation series between South Africa and New Zealand on Monday. Karachi then hosts the remaining two games, including the final on Feb. 14.
