KL Rahul Excels with Century Against NZ in Middle Order Triumph

In a notable display of skill, KL Rahul achieved his eighth One Day International (ODI) century during the second ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday. This match took place at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, where India faced a challenging situation early in the innings.

KL Rahul’s Middle Order Triumph

Batting at a crucial time, Rahul entered the crease with India struggling at three wickets down for 115 runs. Despite the early loss of Virat Kohli for 23 runs, Rahul demonstrated his resilience. He scored an impressive 112 not out off 92 deliveries, striking 12 boundaries and a six, while maintaining a strike rate of 121.74.

Rahul’s Finishing Prowess

Since 2025, KL Rahul has showcased remarkable performance in the middle order. He has aggregated 283 runs from overs 41 to 50 at a remarkable strike rate of 140.09. His numbers place him among the top finishers in ODIs:

• Justin Greaves (Windies): 194 runs at 160.3
• Glenn Phillips (New Zealand): 244 runs at 157.4
• Janith Liyanage (Sri Lanka): 201 runs at 147.8

In this match, entering the 41st over, Rahul had already scored 52 runs off 53 balls. He accelerated the innings significantly, adding another 60 runs in just 39 balls, which included six more boundaries and another six.

Strong Numbers at Key Batting Positions

Rahul has been increasingly effective while batting at the number five and number six positions. His statistics are impressive:

• At Number Five: 1,477 runs in 33 innings at an average of 64.21, with a strike rate of 99.59.
• At Number Six: 332 runs in 12 innings with an average of 47.42, maintaining a strike rate of 99.10.

This versatility ensures that he plays a critical role in either finishing matches or maintaining momentum for India. Since last year, while frequently batting at six, he has scored 508 runs over 16 matches, averaging 72.57 with a strike rate above 112, which includes a century and two fifties.

Performance Against New Zealand

KL Rahul has a strong record against New Zealand, scoring 469 runs in 10 innings with an impressive average of 93.8. His best score against them is his recent 112 not out.

Match Summary

During the match, New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl first. India’s innings saw Rohit Sharma score 24 runs from 38 balls and Shubman Gill contribute 56 runs off 53 balls. Their partnership provided a steady start but was destabilized by Kristian Clarke’s exceptional bowling, which earned him three wickets for 56 runs.

Rahul formed crucial partnerships, adding 73 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (27 runs) and another 57 runs with Nitish Kumar Reddy (20 runs), pushing India to a total of 284 runs for seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs.