Only one Indian has ever scored a century in World Cup T20 cricket. That fact alone tells you how rare truly great innings are on this stage. From Suresh Raina’s pioneering hundred in 2010 to Sanju Samson’s stunning unbeaten 97 in 2026, India’s finest batting efforts share one common thread: they arrived when the match needed them most. Here are the five that stand above everything else.

 

Raina’s Century Still Stands Alone

 

Suresh Raina’s 101 against South Africa at Gros Islet in 2010 remains the only century ever scored by an Indian in this tournament’s history. The surface offered grip for spinners, but Raina used quick footwork and straight boundary hitting to neutralise it completely. His strike rate above 160 was extraordinary for an era when 170 was often enough to win a match. No Indian batter in the fifteen years since has come close to repeating it. The innings do not just lead this list in numbers. It leads to significance.

 

Samson’s Chase Redefined Modern Batting

 

Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 against West Indies at Eden Gardens in the 2026 Super 8 stage is the greatest Indian run chase innings this tournament has ever seen. Chasing 196 with early wickets down, Samson absorbed pressure through the middle overs by rotating strike smartly before shifting into a completely different gear against pace in the death overs. His strike rate near 194 reflects the tempo control that modern T20 batting demands at the highest level. He did not just rescue the chase. He made it look controlled.

 

Rohit’s T20 World Cup Powerplay Standard

 

Rohit Sharma’s 92 off 41 balls against Australia in the 2024 Super 8 stage set the T20 World Cup benchmark for powerplay domination from an Indian opener. On a good batting surface at Gros Islet, Rohit targeted hard lengths and maximised the fielding restrictions before the field spread. His strike rate above 220 shifted momentum so early that Australia spent the rest of the powerplay defending rather than attacking. Where Samson built through phases, Rohit made the match his from ball one. Two completely different methods. Both devastatingly effective.

 

Kohli’s Knockout Knock at Wankhede

 

Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 89 in the 2016 semifinal at Wankhede is the most technically complete innings on this list. Batting first on a true surface with semifinal pressure adding weight to every delivery, Kohli combined precise placement with calculated acceleration. His strike rate near 190 while setting a target rather than chasing one makes the knock even more impressive. Most batters produce their best in run chases when adrenaline does the work. Kohli did it while constructing the score from scratch with no safety net below him.

 

Suryakumar’s Recovery Act Under Pressure

 

Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84 against the USA in the 2026 tournament arrived in the hardest circumstances of any innings on this list. India were 77 for 6 when he walked in. What followed was not a counterattack built on conditions or a platform. It was pure situational adaptability. Suryakumar used angles, ramps, and improvised placement to rebuild an innings that looked beyond saving. It reflects exactly what India’s middle order has become under sustained global tournament pressure: unpredictable, resilient, and deeply difficult to plan for.

 

Five innings. Five different situations. All of them were moments when India needed a batter to step forward and deliver something the match could not predict.



FAQs

 

What is the highest individual score by an Indian in T20WC history?

Suresh Raina’s 101 in 2010 remains the highest.

 

Which Indian has the highest T20WC score in a run chase?

Sanju Samson with 97* in the 2026 Super 8 stage.

 

How many centuries has India scored in the T20WC history?

Only one, scored by Suresh Raina.

 

Is the record likely to be broken soon?

Given modern scoring trends and aggressive intent, it is realistically possible in upcoming tournaments.