Suresh Raina's Ton Under Pressure Saves India Blushes vs Zimbabwe

Suresh Raina grabbed the rare opportunity to play a long innings at World Cup 2015 to smash his fifth ODI century - first in World Cups - against Zimbabwe in a pool B fixture in Auckland on Saturday.

Raina's 94 ball-ton, laced with 8 fours and 4 sixes, ensured India recorded their sixth straight win in this World Cup. The left-handed batsman shared an unbroken 196-run stand with Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the fifth wicket as India romped home with six wickets and eight balls to spare after an early wobble.

Chasing 288, India suffered a top-order collapse. Raina walked out to bat at the fall of Ajinkya Rahane's wicket in the 17th over. Five overs later, Virat Kohli was dismissed by Sikander Raza. India were reeling at 92/4 in 22.4 overs as Zimbabwe hoped to upset the defending champions.

But Raina had other plans and in the company of Captain Cool Dhoni, he plotted India's comeback. The pair plays for Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings and understand each other well. When Raina was under pressure to perform over the last three weeks, Dhoni came to his defence and reiterated faith in him. On Saturday, Raina repaid that faith and trust with a brilliant hundred.

"When the team needed me the most, I just wanted to be positive and smart, especially in the Powerplays," Raina said as he picked up the Man-of-the-Match award. "I'm glad we were able to do it really well in the end. MS Dhoni and I have played a lot of matches together, and have finished a lot of matches together"

Raina started off slowly, biding his time and rotating the strike to pull the team out of the early collapse and laid the platform for an enthralling finish.

Raina broke the shackles with two successive sixes off Sean Williams in the 30th over as India looked for a move on in their challenging chase.

The middle-order batsman, who last scored a century for India in August 2014, lived a charmed life as Hamilton Masakadza put down a regulation chance when Raina was on 48. Raina made the life count as he soon brought up his 35th fifty.

Zimbabwean shoulders began to drop as Raina and Dhoni put India's chase back on track with a 100-run stand. Raina brought up his century in the 45th over and continued to cart the Zimbabwean bowlers all around the park.