Suresh Raina Recalls Becoming India’s Maiden T20I Centurion, Lists It Among Career’s ‘Most Memorable Moments’ (See Post)
On this day in 2010, Suresh Raina hit Inda's first-ever T20I hundred. And recalling that match, Raina said it one of his career’s most memorable moments. Raina’s knock consisted of nine boundaries and five maximums and helped India overcome a tough situation to post 186 on board and win the game by 14 runs.
Suresh Raina walked back the time and recalled the ICC 2010 T20 World Cup in West Indies where he hit India’s first-ever T20I century. Raina’s knock of 101 from 60 deliveries against South Africa in the group stages of the 2010 edition made him only the third cricketer and first from India to smash a hundred in Twenty20 international cricket. And recalling that match, Raina said it one of the career’s 'most memorable moments.' Only Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum preceded his record T20I hundred in international cricket. Raina’s knock consisted of nine boundaries and five maximums and helped overcome a tough situation to post 186 on board and win the game by 14 runs. This Day, That Year: Suresh Raina Becomes First Indian to Score T20I Century.
“One of the most memorable moments for me,” Raina said recalling his century a St Antigua on this day in 2010. “Scoring a first ever T20i century for my country undoubtedly filled me with a lot of confidence, energy & a never ending zest of giving my 100% to my game every time I’m on the field,” he added in a post on Twitter.
Suresh Raina Recalls First T20I Century
Usually a middle-order batsman, Raina batted first-down at the 2010 World Cup and arrived at the crease with the first over still on – Murali Vijay was out for a first-ball duck. Raina started steady but lost Dinesh Karthik with the score reading 32/2 and three balls on the powerplay still remaining. Yuvraj joined him in the middle and the pair withstood a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, mishits and failed shots. The score, at the end of eighth over, read 43/2 with South Africa’s keeping the left-handers in check.
Then spin was introduced in the ninth over and Roelof van der Merwe, who bowled his only and Proteas’ first over of spin, was dispatched for 13 runs with Yuvraj slamming him for a sweep-six over long-on and Raina driving towards the boundary. The duo 88 in close to nine overs before Yuvraj found Graeme Smith with a hook shot. But Raina continued and plundered 18 & 8 off the final two overs to reach his milestone and raise his bat as the first Indian to record a T20I hundred.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 02, 2020 04:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).