Abhishek Sharma shattered the record for the fastest T20 International century by an Indian on Thursday, reaching three figures in just 30 balls during the series finale against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The left-handed opener finished with 108 runs from 34 deliveries.
A Record-Breaking Knock at Arun Jaitley Stadium
The series finale in New Delhi on Thursday, September 17, 2026, delivered a historic display of power-hitting. Abhishek Sharma set the Arun Jaitley Stadium alight by smashing the fastest century by an Indian in men’s T20 internationals during the third and final match against Afghanistan.
Reaching the milestone in a mere 30 balls, the left-handed opener eclipsed former captain Rohit Sharma’s previous Indian record of a 35-ball century set against Sri Lanka in December 2017. Abhishek’s whirlwind innings featured 10 sixes and nine fours, bringing up his historic hundred with a single in the ninth over of the Indian innings.
Varun Chakravarthy stated that against their batting line-up, bowling spin was not an option.
That assessment, offered by Varun Chakravarthy after the first T20I in Delhi, proved prophetic throughout the Friendship Cup encounter. Afghanistan’s bowlers struggled to contain an aggressive Indian batting lineup that feasted on both pace and spin from the opening over.
How the Afghan Bowling Attack Unraveled
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran won the toss and opted to field first, a decision that quickly backfired as India’s top order capitalized on the powerplay restrictions.
By the time Abhishek reached his hundred in the ninth over, the team total stood at 132 for 0 in 8.3 overs. After bringing up the milestone, he sat on the pitch and struck a meditation pose mimicking Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. His dominant innings finally ended when Rashid Khan dismissed him for 108 off 34 balls in the 10th over, leaving his strike rate at an astonishing 317.65.
Global Context and Elite Milestones
Beyond breaking national records, Abhishek’s knock established several global benchmarks. His 30-ball century stands as the fastest ever recorded by a batter from a Test-playing nation, surpassing Sikandar Raza’s 33-ball century for Zimbabwe against Gambia in 2024.
Globally, it ranks as the third-fastest T20I century in history, following Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball hundred for Estonia against Cyprus in 2024 and Muhammad Fahad’s 29-ball century for Turkey against Bulgaria in 2025. Furthermore, Abhishek became the first player in T20I history to score two centuries in fewer than 40 deliveries, building on his 37-ball hundred against England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in 2025.
Series Standing and What Lies Ahead
The explosive knock capped off a remarkable turnaround for the 26-year-old opener. Entering the series under pressure after going seven innings without a fifty—a stretch featuring four single-digit scores—Abhishek responded with an 82 off 32 balls in the series opener and a 39 in the second encounter.
India entered the fixture having already secured the three-match series with an unassailable 2-0 lead under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer.
