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On This Day In 2010: When Suresh Raina Became First Indian To Smash Century In T20Is

Raina scored India's first century in T20Is [x]Raina scored India's first century in T20Is [x]

May 02, 2010- India faced South Africa in their second game of the WT20 campaign in Gros Islet, St. Lucia. Suresh Raina, batting at number 3 for India reached two historic feats as he slammed 101 from 60 balls.

After being sent in to bat first by the proteas, India lost Murali Vijay on the second ball of the innings to Rory Kleinveldt. Raina joined Dinesh Karthik in the middle who also got dismissed soon with 16(17).

Raina created history in T20 WC 2010

Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina helped India resist a collapse and stitched an 88-run stand from 62 balls, Raina scoring 50 of them before Yuvraj fell to Kleinveldt in at 15.5

The then 24-year-old, who had already reached his fifty in 42 balls was batting at 63*(48). The southpaw had already started with his acceleration post his fifty. From 19*(22) and 55* in 45 balls at certain points, he took charge when Yusuf Patan joined him.

In the partnership of 43(16), the left-hander scored 31(9), taking on Kleinveldt in the 18th over where he scored 18 in the four balls he faced.

Thanks to the occasional boundaries against Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, Morkel brothers and van der Merwe throughout the innings, he found himself unbeaten at 95 in 58 with 4 balls left in the innings.

Raina whopped Albie Morkel's full-pitched delivery over the midwicket boundary for a six and became the first Indian to score a T20 International century. He was the third player to score a T20I century after Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum.

Watch The Iconic Knock Here:

In July of the same year, he also went on to become the first Indian and fourth overall player to score centuries in all three formats of the game after his Test century against Sri Lanka, following those mentioned above two and Jayawardene.

After his 2015 Cricket World Cup century against Zimbabwe, he also became the only Indian to have a century in both 20 and 50-overs World Cups, the record he holds to this day.