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On Saturday, October 28, Australian opener Travis Head etched his name in the record books by becoming the fifth Australian cricketer to score a century in his World Cup debut. This remarkable achievement came during the ODI World Cup clash against New Zealand, led by Tom Latham, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
Rewinding to 1983, Trevor Chappell was the first Australian to achieve this feat, scoring 110 runs against India. Fast forward to 1987, and Geoff Marsh emulated the achievement with an unbeaten 110 versus New Zealand. The year 2003 saw the late Andrew Symonds showcasing his prowess with a stellar 143-run knock against Pakistan.
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Aaron Finch joined this elite club in 2015, amassing 135 runs against England at the renowned Melbourne Cricket Ground. In the current World Cup, besides Head, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Abdullah Shafique have also marked their debuts with centuries.
Head's innings was nothing short of explosive. He raced to a half-century in just 25 balls, setting the record for the quickest fifty in this World Cup edition. He then accelerated to reach his century in 59 deliveries. Alongside David Warner, Head stitched a formidable 175-run opening partnership in just 19.1 overs.
However, his splendid innings was cut short by Glenn Phillips, who dismissed him. Head's innings comprised 109 runs from 67 deliveries, including 10 boundaries and seven maximums. His departure left Australia at a commanding 200/2 in 23.2 overs.
After missing Australia's initial five matches due to a hand injury, Head replaced Cameron Green, who was sidelined because of a calf injury. With Head taking the opener's slot, Mitchell Marsh was shifted to the No.3 position in the batting order.
At the toss, New Zealand's stand-in captain Tom Latham decided to field first after winning the toss. The Black Caps introduced James Neesham into their lineup, replacing Mark Chapman. On the other hand, the Aussies received a significant boost with Travis Head rejoining the team, and sidelining Cameron Green.
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