India have been one of the most successful teams in the T20 World Cup history. They won the inaugural edition of the tournament back in 2007; after that, India had three embarrassing group-stage exits before reaching the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup and semi-final in 2016, but suffered another group-stage exit in 2021.
They embark on the 2022 T20 World Cup with positive hopes of winning a second T20 world title.
Their success in the past 7 editions came on the back of some terrific batting performances.
In this article, we look at the top 5 scores by Indian batsmen in T20 World Cup history:
5. Virat Kohli – 78* vs Pakistan, 2012
Just two years into making his T20I debut, Virat Kohli was the next big thing in world cricket. The 24-year-old Kohli then produced a brilliant innings under immense pressure against arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo during the 2012 T20 World Cup. This innings was at the start of his legacy as a chase master.
The bowlers had done well to restrict Pakistan to 128, but India lost opener Gautam Gambhir in the first over itself, and in the 11th over Virender Sehwag was dismissed.
Pakistan would have sensed an opportunity to break open the game, but Kohli, soon after Sehwag’s dismissal, turned the heat on with a flurry of boundaries and it was over before Pakistan could make any more moves. Kohli finished with 78 unbeaten runs off 61 balls, completing the chase of 129 in 17 overs. He struck 8 fours and 2 sixes in his knock on what was a tricky Colombo pitch.
Rohit Sharma – 79* vs Australia, 2010
With a score of 23/4, the game looked effectively over even before India had batted the whole powerplay in their chase of 185 against Australia in Barbados during a group-stage encounter in the 2010 T20 WC. India slipped to 50/7 in 10.3 overs before a young Rohit Sharma waged a lone battle against the likes of Nannes, Tait, Watson and Mitchell Johnson.
Even though victory had gone out of thought, Sharma’s innings proved that he belonged to the highest level despite some concerns over his consistency back then. India were bundled out for 135, of which Rohit scored 79 unbeaten runs off 46 balls (strike rate 171), surprising the Aussies by walloping 4 fours and 6 sixes!
Virat Kohli – 82* vs Australia, 2016
This is not only one of Virat Kohli’s best knocks, but one of the best-ever innings in T20I history. For it came in a high-pressure game – a virtual quarter-final in 2016 against Australia, on a two-paced Mohali pitch, in a difficult run-chase of 161 which had been made even tougher by the slow innings from other batters as India reeled at 49/3 in 7.4 overs.
Kohli’s epic Mohali innings is remembered for the way he paced the chase India had fallen behind at the score of 94/4 in 14 overs, and for the incredibly rapid running between the wickets by Kohli and Dhoni.
Kohli was 35 off 30 balls when 67 runs were needed off the last 6 overs. The well-established chase master stepped on the paddle and propelled India home with 5 balls to spare, finishing unbeaten on 82 runs off 51 balls, his last 47 runs coming off only 21 balls. Kohli hit 9 fours and 2 sixes while showcasing his elite fitness with hard running between the wickets.
Virat Kohli – 89* vs West Indies, 2016
In his dream form in 2016, Kohli looked unbreachable, even in T20 cricket where a batter plays riskier shots than in the other two formats. After his jaw-dropping Mohali knock, Kohli produced another classic – this time, however, he couldn’t land the victory for India in the 2016 T20 WC semi-final against West Indies at the Wankhede.
India got off to a slow start from Rohit and Rahane. Then, entering in the 8th over, Kohli was quick with the boundaries and running between the wicket. Eventually, he finished with 89* off 47 balls, plundering 11 fours and a six, helping India to a total of 192, which WI chased down in the last over.
Suresh Raina – 101 vs South Africa, 2010
Former India batsman Suresh Raina is India’s first and still the only centurion in T20 World Cup – scored against South Africa in Gros Islet in the 2010 T20 WC. Batting at number 3, the left-hander was summoned in the first over itself after Vijay was out for a duck.
Without being intimidated by the Protea bowling attack – comprising Kleinveldt, Steyn, Morne Morkel, Albie Morkel, and Kallis – Raina launched a stunning counter-attack, one which the South African bowlers had no answers to.
Batting almost throughout the innings, Raina was dismissed in the last over after he’d clattered 5 sixes and 9 fours in 60-ball 101-run innings that helped India post a big total of 186, which SA fell 14 short of in the end.
