Rachin Ravindra missed a century by two runs, smashing 98 off just 44 balls for Welsh Fire in The Hundred — the 100-ball-per-side tournament that has become English cricket's summer centrepiece. His innings included seven sixes and 14 boundaries in total, a barrage that lit up the scoreboard and left the opposition with nowhere to hide. BBC Sport

The knock came in a season that began with quiet promise. Welsh Fire opened their 2026 campaign against Southern Brave on July 22, chasing a target they reached with six wickets and two balls to spare. Ravindra contributed 24 off 16 balls in that match — a strike rate of 150, meaning he scored 1.5 runs for every ball faced — before being caught by David Miller off Chaudhary's bowling. Phil Salt and Ravindra shared a 49-run third-wicket partnership to steady the chase. ESPNcricinfo

Ravindra's arrival at Welsh Fire was one of the headline moves of the off-season. The Hundred introduced a player auction system for 2026, and franchises locked in their retentions amid significant reshuffling. Harry Brook was set to earn £470,000 — the largest confirmed salary — while Ravindra was identified as a target alongside Salt. Mike Hussey, the former Australian batter, was involved in Welsh Fire's recruitment and coaching plans. ESPNcricinfo

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed Ravindra as a direct signing for Welsh Fire on January 23, 2026, and later published a video titled "Rachin Ravindra Four" on June 17, building anticipation around the New Zealand left-hander's involvement. ECB ECB

What makes Ravindra's 98 so striking is the sheer pace of it. The Hundred gives each team 100 balls — roughly 16.5 six-ball overs — meaning a batter facing 44 deliveries has occupied the crease for nearly half the entire innings. To score at better than two runs per ball across that span, with seven clears of the rope, is a sustained assault that few formats can contain. The 24-run cameo against Southern Brave, while modest by comparison, showed a batter already in rhythm from ball one.

For Welsh Fire, the early signs are strong. A six-wicket win to open the tournament, a marquee signing delivering a near-century, and a campaign that has barely begun. Ravindra's 98 will be the innings people remember from this round of fixtures — and the two runs he fell short by may yet become the season's favourite trivia question.