Abhishek Sharma produced a stunning batting display against Afghanistan in Delhi on September 17, smashing a 30-ball century to create a new record for the fastest T20I hundred by a batter representing a Full Member nation.
The India opener reached the landmark in just 30 deliveries during the third T20I, taking five balls off the previous Indian record and three balls off the previous joint record for a Full Member batter.
Abhishek Sharma Breaks Rohit Sharma’s India Record
Abhishek’s explosive innings saw him surpass a record that had stood for nearly a decade.
Before Thursday’s match, Rohit Sharma held India’s fastest T20I century record, having reached his hundred from 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Abhishek needed only 30 deliveries to bring up his century against Afghanistan, rewriting the record in spectacular fashion.
The previous fastest T20I hundred by a Full Member batter was jointly held by Sikandar Raza and Finn Allen, who had both reached three-figure scores from 33 balls.
Raza achieved the feat against Gambia in 2024, while Allen scored a 33-ball century against South Africa during the 2026 T20 World Cup.
From Fifty to Hundred in Just 14 Balls
Abhishek Sharma’s innings became increasingly destructive after he reached his half-century.
The left-handed opener completed his first 50 runs from 16 balls. He then needed only another 14 deliveries to reach his century.
He eventually departed in the 10th over after scoring 108 runs from 34 balls.
His extraordinary knock included:
- 108 runs
- 34 balls
- 9 fours
- 11 sixes
- Century from 30 balls
- Fifty from 16 balls
Abhishek’s six-hitting was particularly remarkable. He cleared the boundary 11 times during his innings, effectively finding a six every few deliveries.
India Dominates the Powerplay
Abhishek’s assault put Afghanistan under enormous pressure from the beginning of the Indian innings.
At the time he was dismissed, India had reached 142 for 1. Abhishek alone had contributed more than three-quarters of India’s total at that stage.
His opening partner Sanju Samson also played an important supporting role, scoring 34 runs from 25 deliveries.
The combination gave India a flying start and allowed the team to build a huge platform early in the innings.
Third T20I Century for Abhishek
The century was another milestone in what has been an increasingly impressive T20I career for Abhishek Sharma.
It was his third T20I hundred for India.
Among Indian batters, only two players have scored more T20I centuries:
- Rohit Sharma – 5
- Suryakumar Yadav – 4
- Abhishek Sharma – 3
His latest hundred further underlined his reputation as one of India’s most aggressive opening batters in the shortest format.
Sahil Chauhan Still Holds Overall T20 Record
Although Abhishek now owns the fastest T20I century by a Full Member batter, the overall T20 record remains with Sahil Chauhan.
The Estonia batter smashed a century from only 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024, making it the fastest hundred recorded in men’s T20 cricket.
Abhishek’s 30-ball effort therefore sits behind Chauhan’s mark in the broader T20 record books.
Abhishek’s Rise in the T20I Rankings
The record-breaking performance comes shortly after Abhishek reached a new position in the ICC T20I batting rankings.
Before the Afghanistan match, he had moved up to No. 2 among T20I batters, with India teammate Ishan Kishan occupying the top position.
His latest performance adds another significant achievement to an already impressive run in international T20 cricket.
A Record-Breaking Night for Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma’s 30-ball century was more than just a quick hundred. It combined extraordinary acceleration with sustained boundary hitting and gave India complete control during the early stages of the innings.
By reaching 50 in 16 balls and then racing from 50 to 100 in just 14 deliveries, the India opener produced one of the most explosive T20I innings of his career.
With the record now belonging to Abhishek, India’s list of explosive T20 batters has another major milestone to celebrate.
