India's 3 highest T20I scores

India have the highest percentage of wins out of any country in the world (excluding Afghanistan), having won 62.5% of their games. They also won the first International T20 (T20I) tournament ever held, in 2007.

Here is a look at their best T20I totals thus far:

19 September 2007: India 218/4 (20 overs): Sehwag 68, Yuvraj 58, England 200/6 (20 overs): Solanki 43, Pietersen 39.

India win by 18 runs

As an Englishman, this is a game I have tried to forget. For Stuart Broad, memories of this game must seep in under his door late at night when he's searching for form. The looming shadow of Yuvraj Singh's bat on the wall next to his bed. A nightmare for the English bowler, repeating itself six times in the space of one over.

On that hot and sticky evening during the group game of the 2007 T20 World Cup, England faced an Indian side with too many match-winners to cope with. India posted an imposing 218/4 off their 20 overs. This was the first T20 World Cup, and in the early days of the format, making the total even more impressive.

India started with a bang and built a fantastic foundation, for Yuvraj to capitalise on later. The opening partnership raced to 136 off just 14 overs, with Sehwag slashing the England bowlers around the ground in South Africa. The pair made England’s fielders fetch the ball from the crowd 15 times in a brutal and assured opening stand. England threatened, however, to get back into the game and restrict India to a reasonable target.

When Uthappa’s wickets were dismantled by Tremlett, England celebrated. However, this brought an out-of-form Yuvraj to the crease, keen to prove a point. England’s paceman Andrew Flintoff spotted that Yuvraj could be a danger man, and tried put the batsman off his game by exchanging heated words in between overs. A decision he would regret. Spurred on by the taunts, Yuvraj faced up to a young Stuart Broad, whose blonde hair bounced as he ran in towards the wicket.

Six times, he swung his club, and six times the ball sailed over the ropes on the full. This wasn't slogging, these were proper cricket shots being launched into the atmosphere. In his 16-ball stay at the crease, Yuvraj pummelled 58 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 363. India’s total set an already knocked-out England a run rate of nearly 11 to win the game. The English put in a valiant effort, but India were simply too good, taking the match by 18 runs.

In one over, Yuvraj struck 36 runs off England's young seamer, taking the game away from England and setting up India's highest T20 total at the time. India went on to win the 2007 T20 World Cup, beating Pakistan by 5 runs in the final.

27 August 2016: India 244/4 (20 overs): Rahul 110*, Rohit 62, West Indies 245/6 (20 overs): Lewis 100, Charles 79

West Indies win by 1 run

What an encounter this was! In late 2016, India and West Indies played a two-match T20I series in the USA. While the other game was unfortunately called off due to rain, this match provided enough entertainment to stun an American crowd unfamiliar with the game of cricket.

The game was decided on the last ball; Dhoni edged a Bravo slower ball into the hands of Marlon Samuels, leaving India two short of winning the game. Rahul was left stranded at the other end on 110* after smashing 17 boundaries in an innings that must have convinced the American crowd they were watching baseball. Rahul brought up his hundred in just 46 balls, the joint quickest T20I hundred at the time. The young batsman top-scored in the match and finished with a remarkable strike-rate of 215.

On a tricky day for the bowlers, in a format that does not favour them and in unfamiliar conditions, Jasprit Bumrah bowled well, picking up 2 wickets and running out the big-hitting Brathwaite. Ashwin bowled tidily without picking up a wicket. This game was dominated by the batsmen, however, with Sharma and Rahul both finishing with strike-rates of well over 200.

India were unfortunate not to win the game after outstanding contributions from Sharma (62) and Dhoni (43). However, Lewis (100) and Charles' (79) runs proved just too much, and the West Indies managed to achieve what few teams achieve - beat the Indians when they are chasing. Albeit by only 1 run.

The batting display by both teams helped T20 cricket's march forward, with Sachin Tendulkar tweeting, "what a showcase of T20!" No country has taken to T20 cricket quite as passionately as India, with the IPL starting in 2008 and becoming the most popular T20 league in the world.

22 December 2017: India: 260/5 (20 0vers): Rohit 118, Rahul 89; Sri Lanka 172/9 (all out, 17.2 overs)

India won by 88 runs

What a game this was to bring 2017 to an end. India brutalised the Sri Lankan attack at the Holkar Stadium. Coming off the back of a huge victory a few days before against their Asian neighbours, confidence was high. This confidence and ability combined in spectacular fashion and saw the Men in Blue post the second highest T20 international total in history.

India hammered 42 balls into the boundary ropes, bashing holes in the Sri Lankan attack. Only one Sri Lankan bowler managed figures of under 10 an over (Mathews), with Fernando going for 61 runs off his 4 overs.

Rohit Sharma struck the joint fastest T20 century, taking just 35 balls to raise his bat. The batsman was also tasked with captaining the side in the absence of wonder boy – Virat Kohli. Rather than daunt the opener, it spurred him on to an outstanding innings that included 22 boundaries, over half the team's total.

Rahul was also vital to India’s innings, and was unfortunate to be overshadowed by his stand-in captain. The two compiled 165 off 12.4 overs for the first wicket. When India’s onslaught finally ended, they left an awe-struck Sri Lanka with a dizzying run-rate of 13 to achieve the highest run chase in T20I history. Chahal and Yadav combined to take seven Sri Lankan wickets before Chameera’s stumps were pegged back by Pandya and India claimed a titanic victory over their old rivals.

Only Australia have posted a higher T20 international score, beating India’s total by 3 runs in 2016. Once again, Sri Lanka were the unfortunate recipients. India's naturally aggressive style of play, and abundance of skilful players means they are extremely difficult to beat in the T20 format. After winning the very first T20 World Cup in 2007, India have yet to win it for the second time.

After finishing runners-up in 2014, and failing to win on their home soil in 2016, they will be desperate to start winning trophies again in a format they are formidable in.