5 captains who have scored centuries in T20Is

"They came to see me bat and not you umpire," is a famous cricket quote by the legendary William Gilbert Grace and it is exactly what sums up the state of cricket today.

Batsmen are dominating games, breaking records for fun while the bowlers are being bullied like kids in a park. There is little help from the pitches and absolutely nothing from the ball especially when it is white in colour. Batting has come through the ages since those times and a prime example of that was when England notched up a massive score of 481 in an ODI, yet were disappointed that they could not get to 500.

A major contributor to the rise of the standard of batting has been Twenty20! Ever since the introduction of the shortest format of the game, batsmen have found a new zeal to smash the cricket ball and it has never been at its peak like it is now. While the experts and the caretakers of the game ponder over what can be done, batsmen are making merry when the ball doesn't deviate from the straight line.

Aaron Finch's breath-taking assault on the Zimbabwean bowlers was a sight to behold for the fans who enjoy bowlers being treated like bowling machines. We look at the instances when international captains have scored centuries for their side.

#1 Aaron Finch, 172 vs Zimbabwe, 2018

Aaron Finch scored his second ton in the shortest format of the game

Finch was handed over the captaincy of Australia's T20I side after their disastrous tour of South Africa. Finch showed glimpses of his form during the ODI series against England where he hit a fine century at Chester-le-Street before scoring a fighting 84 in a losing cause against the same side in the one-off T20I.

Finch began the tri-series in Zimbabwe in fine fashion, smashing the Pakistan bowlers all around the park for an unbeaten 68 but the Aussie opener brought out his brutal best against Zimbabwe. He carted the Zimbabwean bowlers for as many as 10 sixes and 16 fours, scoring an astonishing 172 in just 76 balls, breaking his own record.

#2 Rohit Sharma, 118 vs Sri Lanka, 2017

Rohit Sharma scored his second century in T20Is, against Sri Lanka

One of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball, Rohit Sharma showed his class and range as a batsman when he hit a blistering century against a favorite opponent of his, in Sri Lanka. Named captain for the series, Rohit Sharma did his credentials no harm, hitting a 61-ball 118 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore in the second T20I.

His 118 was the joint-fastest in T20Is with David Miller who had scored a ton in as many balls as the Indian opener, 35. Rohit's ton set up India's tall total and they won the game by 88 runs and also sealed the series 2-0 with a game to spare.

#3 Shane Watson, 124 not out vs India, Sydney 2016

Shane Watson's century went in vain as India won the game by seven wickets

Australia had already lost the first two games of the three-match T20I series against India in 2016 and their only chance of salvaging some pride and avoiding a whitewash was if their captain did something special.

Shane Watson did lead them from the front with the bat as he scored a magnificent unbeaten knock of 124 runs in 71 balls, laced with 10 boundaries and six towering maximums. Australia scored 197 for 5 but India won the game on the back of fine fifties from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and vital cameos from Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh to seal the 3-0 whitewash.

#4 Faf du Plessis, 119 vs West Indies, 2015

Faf du Plessis scored a fine 119 against West Indies

In what was a series to forget for West Indies, Faf du Plessis displayed a new side to his batting. South Africa were under pressure, having lost the first game and West Indies had gotten off to the perfect start, dismissing Morne van Wyk in the very first over of the game.

In came Faf to hold the innings together. He first shared a fine stand with David Miller before exploding to get to his maiden and only T20I hundred till date. His 99-ball 119 though did not help his side win as Chris Gayle's 90 and Marlon Samuels' 60 powered West Indies' chase of 232 runs before Darren Sammy finished things off in style for them, giving them the series with a match to go.

#5 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 104 not out vs Australia, 2011

Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan

One of the finest servants of the game and a belligerent all-rounder from Sri Lanka, TM Dilshan was the first captain to score a century in the shortest format of the game. In the first match of the two-match series in 2011, Dilshan stroked a brilliant 104 in 57 balls against a decent Australian attack which had the likes of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and John Hastings.

After setting up a total of 163 which was par for the course back in 2011, Dilshan captained brilliantly and never allowed Australia to get back in the game as the hosts won by 35 runs and went onto win the series 2-0.