GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – Suresh Raina struck the first century of the 2010 World Twenty20 Championship as India secured victory over South Africa by 14 runs at the Beausejour Cricket Ground here yesterday.

Sent in by South Africa, India posted a challenging 186 for five in 20 overs with Raina plundering a stroke-filled 101 that left South Africa’s bowlers shell-shocked.

India then restricted the South Africans to 172 for five off 20 overs, to earn their second consecutive win of the tournament having beating Afghanistan by seven wickets here Saturday.

The left handed Raina, who entered the fray at number three, faced just 60 balls and struck nine fours and five sixes and was the fifth batsman out off the third ball of the final over.

He brought up his hundred in spectacular fashion, smashing medium pacer Albie Morkel over mid-wicket for a six that measured 90 metres. However, he was dismissed off the very next ball caught by AB De Villiers trying to find the long-on boundary.

Raina, named Man-of-the-Match for this terrific innings, had some fortune early in his knock when he was caught off a Morne Morkel no-ball before he had reached double figures.

He shared in two crucial partnerships, adding 88 with Yuvraj Singh for the third wicket and 43 with Yusuf Pathan (11) for the fourth.

Singh was his usual breathtaking self in scoring 37 off 30 balls with three fours and two sixes before scooping fast bowler Rory Kleinveldt to Graeme Smith at mid-on in the 16th over.

India’s acceleration saw then plunder 75 from the last five overs, with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni finishing with 16 from six balls.

The finish was a recovery of sorts for the Indians after they lost their opener Murali Vijay off the first ball he faced, caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher as he pushed outside the off stump at Kleinvelt in the day’s first over.

Kleinveldt finished with two for 48 off four overs.

South Africa then got a 54-ball 73 from Jacques Kallis but failed to keep us with the demanding run rate and fell short of their target.

He dominated a 97-run, second wicket stand with captain Graeme Smith who struck one four and two sixes before he was run out for 36 off 28 balls.

The right-handed Kallis struck three fours and three sixes before offering a catch on the long-on boundary to Ravindra Jadeja off leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.

AB de Villiers kept the momentum going for South Africa with a belligerent 31 off 15 balls laced with one four and three sixes.

Off-spinner Yusuf Pathan claimed two for 42 to lead India’s attack.

Scoreboard

INDIA

Dinesh Karthik c Smith b Kallis 16

Murali Vijay c wkpr Boucher b Kleinveldt 0

Suresh Raina c de Villiers b A Morkel 101

Yuvraj Singh c Smith b Kleinveldt 37

Yusuf Pathan c Van der Merwe b Steyn 11

MS Dhoni not out 16

Harbhajan Singh not out 0

Extras (w4, nb 1) 5

TOTAL (5 wkts, 20 overs) 186

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-32, 3-120, 4-163, 5-178.

Did not bat: Ravindra Jadeja, Piyush Chawla, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra.

Bowling: Kleinveldt 4-0-48-2, Steyn 4-0-24-1, Morkel 4-0-32-0, Morkel 3-0-39-1, Kallis 4-0-30-1, Van Der Merwe 1-0-13-0.

SOUTH AFRICA

J Kallis c Jadeja b Chawla 73

L Bosman c Chawla b Pathan 8

*G Smith run out 36

AB De Villiers c Chawla b Nehra 31

A Morkel c Harbhajan Singh b Pathan 12

+Mark Boucher not out 4

JP Duminy not out 4

Extras (b1, lb2, nb1) 4

TOTAL (5 wkts, 20 overs) 172

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-118, 3-128, 4-152, 5-167.

Did not bat: R Van Der Merwe, R Kleinveldt, D Steyn, M Morkel.

Bowling: Harbhajan Singh 4-0-33-0, Praveen Kumar 1-0-3-0, Ashish Nehra 4-0-27-1, Yusuf Pathan 4-0-42-2, Piyush Chawla 3-0-27-1, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-37-0.

Result: Indian won by 14 runs.

Points: India 2, South Africa 0.

Toss: South Africa.

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Simon Taufel; TV – Rod Tucker.

Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle.