Abhishek Sharma produced a stunning batting display in the third and final T20I against Afghanistan, smashing a century in just 30 balls and creating a new record for the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter.
Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Abhishek came out attacking from the opening overs and quickly put the Afghanistan bowlers under pressure. He reached his half-century in just 16 balls before completing his hundred in the ninth over.
The 30-ball century broke Rohit Sharma’s previous Indian record of a 35-ball T20I hundred, scored against Sri Lanka in 2017. Abhishek also became the fastest T20I centurion from a Full Member nation, surpassing the previous 33-ball mark shared by New Zealand’s Finn Allen and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza.
Abhishek eventually finished with a remarkable 108 runs from 34 balls, hitting nine fours and 11 sixes. His innings came at a strike rate of more than 300 and helped India make a strong start after being asked to bat first.
Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson Put India in Control
Abhishek found excellent support from Sanju Samson at the other end. The opening pair added 142 runs in just 9.5 overs, giving India a flying start.
Samson also completed a half-century, scoring 50 off 35 balls. India crossed the 100-run mark during the powerplay, setting up a huge total despite Afghanistan fighting back with wickets during the middle and final overs.
India eventually finished their 20 overs at 221/7, with Abhishek’s explosive knock being the highlight of the innings.
Afghanistan Bowled Out for 94
Chasing 222, Afghanistan struggled to build momentum after losing early wickets. India’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings, with Ravi Bishnoi taking 3 wickets for 26 runs and Nitish Kumar Reddy also making an impact with the ball.
Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for 94 in 14.1 overs, handing India a convincing 127-run victory.
The victory completed India’s 3–0 series sweep over Afghanistan.
A Record-Breaking Series for Abhishek Sharma
The century was Abhishek Sharma’s third in T20I cricket. He had already made a strong contribution earlier in the series, scoring 82 in the opening match and 39 in the second T20I.
Across the three-match series, Abhishek finished with 229 runs at an average of 76.33 and a strike rate of 269.41, earning the Player of the Series award.
His 30-ball century now stands as one of the fastest hundreds in T20I cricket. While the overall T20I record remains 27 balls by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, Abhishek’s achievement is particularly significant because it is the fastest century in a T20I involving two Full Member nations.
