A total of 23 T20I hundreds have been scored by the modern batting machines since the advent of the popular format. Tons have been recorded in all Test nations except Pakistan (Pakistan's adopted Test home, Sharjah, has one). With most grounds across the globe turning into batting paradises, it is little surprising that International batsmen wreck havoc in these meadows.
But have these centuries in the widely popular T20 format been equally distributed across the various countries that play cricket? We may know that Chris Gayle has more T20I hundreds than say, a Cheteswar Pujara, but what about the countries?
Did the million die hard fans in India get to see more T20I tons than the retired man from New Zealand who visited Hamilton stadium on a Monday night to watch a T20? You can hardly guess that. So, let us now take a glance at countries that have witnessed the most of these spectacular knocks:
1) New Zealand, West Indies, USA - 2 each
Two international hundreds each have been recorded at New Zealand, West Indies and the USA. New Zealand was the venue for fastest T20I hundred when Richard Levi smacked a 45 ball ton against the Kiwis in Seddon Park. Levi's knock remains the fastest T20I ton till this day. His knock included 13 huge sixes and a meager five boundaries.
McCullum is the other batsman to record a century in the country, this one studded with eight sixes, against Australia in 2010. The game interestingly went to a super over after each team finished at 214. New Zealand chased down a paltry 6 to win the contest.
West Indies witnessed two hundreds during the T20 World Cup 2010. The first one came when Raina hit the 1st century in the format for India, against South Africa. Walking in at 32/2 in more than five overs, Raina put India back on track with a well compiled hundred that included five maximums. Mahela Jayawardena hit another in the same tournament, at Providence against Zimbabwe after walking out to open the innings.
In a rain-hit match, Mahela's unbeaten 100 off 64 balls helped Sri Lanka overcome Zimbabwe by 14 runs.
USA was a neutral venue for India and West Indies in two T20I matches recently, of which one was washed out by rain. But it had time to witness two crazy knocks from Lokesh Rahul and Evin Lewis. Lewis smoked five sixes off a Stuart Binny over en route to a magnificent ton.
Rahul, however, was equally competent with his unbeaten 110, as he put India in a winning position, chasing 246 for victory. However, some final over heroics from Bravo won the game for the Windies.
2) Bangladesh - 3
Bangladesh were treated to three hundreds of which two came in the T20 World Cup they hosted in 2014. Alex Hales and Ahmed Shehzad hit first hundreds for their respective countries. While Hales scored a 116* from 64 balls against Sri Lanka in Chittagong, Shehzad made 111* from 62 balls against the hosts at Dhaka. Hales innings was notable as it came in a chase when England were on the brink of elimination.
Hales, almost single-handedly powered England's chase, unfazed against spin and seam alike. Shehzad hit a superb ton to power Pakistan to 190 in their encounter against Bangladesh. Shehzad's knock was all the more special considering the fact that the next highest score for Pakistan in the game was 26.
The other hundred came in the 2016 World T20 qualifiers when Babar Hayat of Hong Kong smacked a 122 off 60 deliveries against Oman. Hayat's was also a lonely knock as the next highest score was 15.
Unfortunately for Hong Kong, his knock proved to be in vain, as he was dismissed in the last over, with Hong Kong falling five runs short of the target. With the tournament being a big hit and more future tournaments expected in Bangladesh, the list of centuries is likely to grow in numbers in coming years.
3) Sri Lanka - 3
Sri Lanka has been home to three magnificent T20I hundreds with the last of them, a 145*, by Glenn Maxwell almost eclipsing the highest T20I individual score of 156 by Aaron Finch against England in Southampton.
Maxwell, on a comeback trail after dropping out of favour with the selectors in ODIs, opened the innings and smashed 9 sixes on his way to the second highest T20I individual score and the highest T20I total. Maxwell seemed to relish his rare opportunity at the top of the order in the absence of Finch. An ecstatic Maxwell is said to have conveyed to coach, Greg Blewett, that he would 'love to have a crack at the top of the order'. And, he ensured he made it count.
Tillakaratne Dilshan and McCullum have also scored hundreds in the island nation. Dilshan stroked a 104 in 57 balls against an attack of Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, in 2011. The knock included a pulsating final over, where he smashed Johnson for 20 runs.
McCullum thrilled the Kandy spectators with a 58 ball 123 in the World T20 in 2012. After crossing his half century in 29 balls, Mccullum smoked 73 in his next 29 balls to set up New Zealand's 191.
Ironically, all three of the hundreds in Sri Lanka have come at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, which holds the record for a single venue witnessing most number of T20I tons.
4) India - 3
Given the amount of T20I matches being played in India, it is rather surprising that India had to wait till 2015 to witness an International T20 hundred. Rohit Sharma brought alive the high altitude Dharamshala with a typical classy hundred against South Africa in 2015.
His knocked helped India post 199. However, it did not win India the match, as South Africa, powered by JP Duminy, chased down the mammoth total.
Tamim Iqbal of Bangladesh hit another one at the same venue in the 2016 T20 World Cup Qualifiers, against Oman. Tamim's was Bangladesh's first T20I hundred and it helped his side qualify for the main draw.
Gayle completes the list in India with a 100* against England at the Wankhede in Mumbai. Gayle cleared the ropes a stunning eleven times during this innings, that bettered his ten sixes against South Africa in Johannesburg. He smashed three consecutive sixes off Moeen Ali as West Indies chased down the target of 183 set to them, quite comfortably.
5) South Africa - 4
There is little surprise that South Africa holds the record for the country that has witnessed the most number of International T20 hundreds. The rainbow nation has been a run-scoring haven in recent times, with the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg notorious for its short boundaries and quick outfield.
Unsurprisingly, Wanderers was the venue to the first T20 International hundred, when Gayle hit a 117 against the hosts in the opening match of the first T20 World Cup in 2007. Despite his brilliant knock and West Indies piling on a score of 205, Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp proved to be too good for their bowlers as they conceded defeat.
Faf Du Plessis added another T20I ton at the same venue when he scored a 119 against West Indies in January 2015. His knock helped South Africa to 231. But as fate may have it, Gayle had his payback and his 90 helped West Indies to the highest ever run chase in T20I history.
Martin Guptill against South Africa and Morne Van Wyk against West Indies in East London and Durban respectively complete the list of centuries in the nation. Guptill hit a last ball boundary to win the game for New Zealand and also recorded the ninth T20I hundred at that time.
Van Wyk, on a comeback series, hit seven sixes and helped himself to an unbeaten 114 against a weak West Indian bowling attack. South Africa went on to win the game comfortably as Windies were bowled out for 126 after a five-wicket haul from David Wiese.
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