On this day in 2010: Suresh Raina became first Indian player to smash T20I hundred
May 02, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 2 : Eleven years ago on this day, star batsman Suresh Raina became the first Indian cricketer to smash a century in the shortest format of the game.
The attacking left-hand batsman achieved the feat against South Africa in the T20 World Cup in 2010. In the match, South Africa had won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Raina came to the crease in the opening over of the game as India lost their first wicket of Murali Vijay. The left-handed batsman then went on to play a quickfire knock of 101 runs off just 60 balls. Raina smashed five glorious sixes and nine fours in his quick-fire knock.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday shared the video of Raina's knock to relive the "spectacular" innings of the T20 World Cup.
"On this day in 2010, Suresh Raina became the first Indian player to smash a T20I hundred. He scored a spectacular 60-ball 101 in the 2010 @T20WorldCup against South Africa," ICC tweeted.
India posted a total of 186/5 in the allotted 20 overs on the back of Raina's ton. The Men in Blue successfully defended the total and defeated South Africa by 14 runs.
India failed to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament. To date, Rohit Sharma has scored four T20I hundreds while KL Rahul has two to his name in the shortest format of the game for India.
Last year in August, Raina announced his retirement from international cricket. A world-class fielder and a useful bowler, Raina represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs, and 78 T20Is in an international career spanning 13 years.
A member of the victorious World Cup-winning team in 2011, Raina first made his international debut at the age of 18 and also led India in ODIs and T2OIs when he turned 23.
He is the youngest to lead an India men's T20I side and was also a member of the side that played in India's first-ever T20I. The southpaw is also the first Indian to score a century in the T20 World Cup.
Under his captaincy, India registered a 3-2 series victory in West Indies and a 2-0 win over Bangladesh in ODIs and a 2-0 T20I series win in Zimbabwe.
Raina, who scored a century on debut in Tests, is also the first Indian to have hundreds in all three formats of the game and his centuries were scored outside India.
