WC: Travis Head smokes breathtaking century upon return from injury
Australian opener Travis Head has made a fiery return to 22 yards. The southpaw smoked a fiery century against New Zealand in Match 27 of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Dharamsala. He attacked bowlers from the outset and smoked runs for fun. Head reached his hundred off just 59 balls. Notably, the ongoing game marked Head's WC debut. Here are further details.
A breathtaking knock from Head
Head warmed the benches in the initial half of the competition due to a fractured left hand. The dasher, however, made a dynamic comeback as the Kiwi bowlers looked utterly clueless against him. Along with David Warner (81), Head shattered many partnership records during the course of his century. Head fell prey to Glenn Phillips after scoring a 67-ball 109 (10 fours, 7 sixes).
Joint-fastest fifty of the competition
Head reached his fifty off just 25 balls, the joint-fastest in the ongoing tournament. He equaled Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis in this regard, who also took as many deliveries to complete his half-century against Pakistan. Overall, Head smoked the second-fastest WC fifty by an Aussie batter. Only Glenn Maxwell is ahead of him, having smoked a 21-ball fifty versus Afghanistan in 2015.
Fourth-fastest ton by an Aussie batter
Head reached his hundred off 59 balls. This is now the fourth-fastest ODI hundred by an Aussie batter. Maxwell occupies the top-two spots on this list, having reached the milestone off 40 and 51 balls against Netherlands (2023) and Sri Lanka (2015), respectively. James Faulkner is the other Aussie ahead of Head on this list, having smoked a 57-ball hundred against India in 2013.
Joint-highest powerplay score in ODIs
Warner and Head added 118 runs in the first 10 overs. This is now the highest powerplay score in World Cup history and overall, the joint-highest powerplay score in ODIs. New Zealand also added as many runs against Sri Lanka without the loss of any wicket in the 2015 Christchurch ODI.
Warner and Head script these partnership records
Warner and Head's 175-run stand is now the second-highest opening partnership for Australia against NZ in ODIs. Only Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh are ahead of the duo, having added 189 runs against NZ in the 2000 Christchurch ODI. This is also now Australia's fourth-highest opening partnership in World Cup history.
Fifth Aussie batter with debut WC ton
Meanwhile, Head became the fifth Australian batter to smoke a ton on WC debut. He has joined Trevor Chappell (1983), Geoff Marsh (1987), Andrew Symonds (2003), and Aaron Finch (2015). Head, who smoked his fourth ODI ton, has now raced to 2,173 ODI runs at 42.60 (50s: 15). Against NZ, he has completed 313 ODI runs at 52.16 (50s: 3, 100: 1).
