Who is the first Indian batsman to hit a century in T20 World Cup?

With the ICC T20 World Cup  2022 just around the corner, all eyes will be on the Indian team’s rock-solid batting line-up comprising skipper Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and the middle-order sensations Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik respectively.

However, it is to be noted that only one Indian player has so far scored a century in the seven editions of the T20 World Cup. The record does not belong to batting megastar Virat Kohli, who finished as the Player of the Tournament in two consecutive editions- 2014 and 2016 respectively. The highest individual score of Virat in the tournament remains 89* that he had scored against the West Indies at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in the semi-final of the 2016 edition.

The honour belongs to none other than veteran Suresh Raina, who at one point in time used to be one of India’s saviours in the middle overs. Raina scored his first and only T20 World Cup century during the 2010 edition in the Caribbean.

When Suresh Raina achieved a unique feat for India at the T20 World Cup

India and South Africa locked horns in a Group C encounter in Gros Islet on May 2, 2010. Batting first, the Men in Blue posted a grand total of 186/5 on the board with Suresh Raina doing the bulk of scoring.

The southpaw went on to score a blistering 101 runs off 60 deliveries including nine fours and five maximums at an outstanding strike rate of 168.33. The southpaw dismantled the Proteas bowling line-up consisting of Dale Steyn, Albie and Morne Morkel, Jacques Kallis, and, spinner Roelof van der Merwe.

In reply, the South Africans were restricted to 172/5 as India came out on top by 14 runs.

Meanwhile back then, the knock had made Raina the very first Indian to register a century in the shortest format and third overall behind West Indies power-hitter Chris Gayle and former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum.