Suresh Raina - 6 Top notch knocks in ODIs

#1 ICC WC 2011, Semis vs Pakistan, Mohali, 36*

Raina played a crucial role in the death overs to take India to a match-winning 260

An Indo-Pak encounter always brings in a lot of interest in the cricketing fraternity, and the pressure on both the teams cannot be measured in numbers. The heart beats fluctuate each ball, and both the sides will not be satisfied for anything short of a victory. More so when it comes in the biggest of matches and in the biggest of stages like the World Cup semifinals.

India faced Pakistan in Mohali, a game that was challenging for both the Asian giants. India opted to bat, as Dhoni believed in putting runs on the board in big games like the semifinal. The start was nothing short of thunderous for India, as Sehwag tore apart the Pakistan bowling and smashed his way to 38 off a mere 25 balls with nine boundaries.

Once Sehwag fell, Sachin and Gambhir slowly and steadily enabled India to further strengthen the game. India had to deal with a triple blow as Gambhir, Kohli and Yuvraj fell one after the other. Sachin watched all these from the other end, as he scored a fine and patient 85 that put India in a safe position. India still had not got to the match-winning total when Sachin fell, as the scoreboard read 187/5 and Raina walked out.

Dhoni's 25 came at a slow pace as India slipped to 205/6. They needed a final flourish in the death overs and that is exactly what Raina provided for India. He scored a near run-a-ball 36, as he dragged India to 260, a total that was tricky enough in a semifinal. Raina had to again bat with the tail, and he did his job to perfection, by scoring 36 crucial runs that proved to be the difference between the two sides, as India managed to win the game by 29 runs.

Raina has been a silent warrior for India in many of the matches, and the collection of these games just goes to show how valuable a player he is when India is under pressure. He can bat with the lower order, he can be a livewire on the field, he can be a good motivator for his side, he can chip in with part-time off-spin when needed and he can also rescue India from the jaws of defeat. Suresh Kumar Raina has been a complete package in ODIs as far as Indian cricket is concerned.

It will be a delight if he gets to play the 2019 WC for India. Indian fans will only welcome Suresh Raina with both hands.