5 best men's T20I knocks of 2023 ft. Suryakumar Yadav
Despite a 50-over World Cup being held in 2023, a staggering number of 451 T20Is (including the ones played by associate nations) were played during the year. With the advent of T20 leagues, innovative shots, and batsmen clearing boundaries with ease, more and more runs are being scored in the shortest format.
A total number of 27 T20I centuries were scored in 2023, including the fastest-ever century in the history of T20Is scored by Kushal Malla from just 34 balls.
On that note, here is a look at 5 best men's T20I knocks of 2023.
#1 Glenn Maxwell (104 from 48 balls against India):
Maxwell was at his aggressive best against India on November 28, 2023. The Aussie all-rounder smashed 20 runs from the last four balls of the match to secure an improbable win for his team.
Australia needed 47 runs from the last two overs and 22 of the last when Maxwell and the Aussie skipper Matthew Wade went into the fifth gear and helped Australia chase a mammoth target of 223.
Maxwell was unbeaten on 104 and smashed eight boundaries and eight maximums from just 48 balls. He was particularly harsh on Pradish Krishna who had a torrid day on the field and conceded 68 runs from his four overs.
Mawell's innings overshadowed a brilliant century scored by Ruturaj Gaikwad (123) earlier than evening. Riding on Maxwell's century, Australia won the said game, their only victory in the five-match T20I series against India post the 2023 World Cup.
#2 Johnson Charles (118 from 46 balls against South Africa)-
On a flat batting wicket at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, Johnson Charles smashed a century from just 43 balls to guide his team to a total of 258 for the loss of five wickets in a T20I game.
Coming in to bat at number three on the fourth ball of the innings, Charles was aggressive from the word go. He added 135 runs for the second wicket with Kyle Mayers from just 58 balls.
Even after the dismissal of Mayers, Charles continued the onslaught on the South African bowlers. An experienced bowling line-up comprising Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Wayne Parnell, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, and Tabraiz Shamsi was taken to the cleaners by the West Indian. He was subsequently dismissed for 118 and smashed 10 boundaries and 11 maximums at an astounding strike rate of 256.52.
#3 Quinton de Kock (100 from 44 balls against West Indies )-
Riding on the century of Johnson Charles as mentioned hereinabove, South Africa were left to chase a target of 259 from 20 overs and needed to get off to a flying start.
Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks put on 152 runs for the opening wicket from just 65 balls. De Kock was the dominant partner in the said partnership and smashed a century (100) from just 44 balls including eight boundaries and nine maximums. He set the tone for the remaining batters and South Africa chased the target with seven balls to spare.
The South African keeper-batsman was named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.
#4 Suryakumar Yadav (112* from 51 balls against Sri Lanka )-
Suryakumar Yadav, the number one ranked batsman in T20I rankings, scored two centuries in T20Is in 2023. The first of the said centuries was in Rajot against a hapless Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Yadav came in to bat at number four and what followed was absolute carnage. The Sri Lankan bowlers had no clue as to where to bowl to the indian batsman. He scored at a staggering strike rate of 219.61 and smashed nine maximums and seven boundaries. He was unbeaten on 112 from just 51 balls and guided India to a match-winning score of 228. India won the game comfortably by a margin of 91 runs.
#5 Dipendra Singh Airee (52* From 10 balls against Mongolia)-
The innings from the bat of Dipendra Singh needs a special mention. He created history by scoring the fastest-ever half-century in T20Is against Mongolia in the Asian Games 2023.
His half-century was scored from just nine balls and included eight maximums. He scored at an astonishing strike rate of 520. Singh's record of the fastest half-century in T20Is will never be beaten and can be equalled at the very best.