Suresh Raina scored a fine 27 runs off 15 balls in India's six-wicket win against Sri Lanka in their Nidahas Trophy Twenty20 match at R Premadasa Stadium on Monday. In the process, the left-hander has gone past Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the T20I most runs chart. Raina, who came to bat at number four, now has 1452 runs in T20Is, while Dhoni has 1444 runs under his belt. Ahead of the Monday's clash against the islanders, Raina needed 19 runs to go past his former captain Dhoni. Raina, who looked in ominous touch, smashed two boundaries and two sixes in his 15-ball knock before losing his wicket to Nuwan Pradeep.
Overall in world cricket, India captain Virat Kohli is third 1983 runs in the shortest format of the game. Kohli is behind New Zealand's Martin Guptill who is on top with 2271 runs. Another New Zealander, Brendon McCullum, is number two with 2140 runs under his belt.
In his 71-T20I career, Raina has scored one century and four fifties at a strike rate of 133.70.
Raina made his India comeback in the recently-concluded Twenty20 International series against South Africa and the left-hander justified his selection with some impressive knocks. Due to his notable performances, Raina earned a place in the Nidahas Trophy.
Raina, who scored just one run in the opening T20I against Sri Lanka, scored 28 in India's win against Bangladesh in the second match of the tournament.
He also became the third Indian cricketer to hit 50 sixes in T20Is. He reached the landmark during the second T20I against Bangladesh in the ongoing tournament.
Yuvraj Singh is on top of the Indian list with 74 sixes while Rohit Sharma is at the second spot with 69 sixes.
- Suresh Raina scored a fine 27 runs off 15 balls against Sri Lanka
- Raina has gone past Dhoni in the T20I most runs chart
- Raina now has 1452 runs in T20Is
