Matt Renshaw eyes ODI World Cup after maiden century against Zimbabwe

Australian batter Matt Renshaw has described his return to One Day International (ODI) cricket as a “pretty amazing opportunity” and expressed his desire to represent Australia at the ODI World Cup.

Renshaw spoke following Australia’s opening match of the three-game ODI series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday, where he scored his maiden ODI century as part of a 59-run victory.

Batting first, Australia posted 294 for 8 in their 50 overs, with Renshaw playing a decisive innings of 109 runs. The left-handed batter anchored the innings during critical phases before accelerating towards the end.

This century was Australia’s first ODI hundred against Zimbabwe since Michael Clarke’s unbeaten 105 in Harare in 2004. It was also the first ODI century by an Australian batting at number six or lower since Glenn Maxwell’s 201-run innings against Afghanistan during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Reflecting on his opportunity, Renshaw said, “It’s a pretty amazing opportunity to play ODI cricket … If I get to play in that World Cup, it’d be great – I played in a T20 World Cup when I wasn’t expecting it.” He previously featured unexpectedly in a T20 World Cup and hopes to earn another chance at a global tournament.

Renshaw also commented on his bowling, an aspect of his game he enjoys and hopes will contribute to the team. He referred to Australia’s recent series in Bangladesh, where despite struggling with the bat—scoring just two runs across three innings—he was able to make an impact with the ball.

“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing. Hopefully it’s adding to the team. What I saw in Bangladesh was I had a really tough series (scoring two runs in three innings) with the bat, but I was managing to contribute with the ball,” he said.

Australia’s victory over Zimbabwe was further supported by Nathan Ellis’ five-wicket haul.