Abhishek Sharma produced a stunning display of power-hitting against Afghanistan on Thursday, smashing a century off just 30 balls in the third and final T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The explosive left-handed opener reached three figures in only 30 deliveries, breaking Rohit Sharma’s long-standing record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter. Rohit had previously held the record after reaching his hundred in 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017. Abhishek bettered that mark by five deliveries.
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The knock added another remarkable chapter to Abhishek’s rapidly developing T20I career. According to India Today, he also became the first batter in men’s T20I cricket to register two centuries in fewer than 40 balls.
Abhishek’s innings came in the series finale, with India having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead after winning the opening two matches by seven wickets. The three-match series was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with the final match scheduled for September 17.
The 30-ball hundred also placed Abhishek among the fastest century-makers in international T20 cricket. His achievement was particularly significant because he became the fastest batter from a Test-playing nation to reach a T20I century, according to match reports.
The record-breaking innings further underlined Abhishek’s form during the Afghanistan series. Before the third match, he had already scored 121 runs across the opening two T20Is, which had helped him climb to No. 2 in the ICC T20I batting rankings. He was only 51 rating points behind India teammate Ishan Kishan, who occupied the top spot at the time.
India had entered the final match with the freedom to experiment after sealing the series in the second T20I. The team had won the opening game on September 13 by seven wickets before repeating the margin two days later. The third match provided an opportunity to assess the squad ahead of a busy international schedule.
The series had also generated considerable interest around teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was in the squad and had been waiting for an opportunity. India’s selectors had included him in the T20I squad alongside Abhishek, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and other established players.
For Abhishek, however, the spotlight belonged entirely to his extraordinary assault on Afghanistan’s bowling attack. By reaching his hundred in 30 balls, he not only surpassed one of Rohit Sharma’s notable T20I records but also strengthened his growing reputation as one of India’s most aggressive white-ball batters.
The milestone also came with a memorable celebration. After reaching his century, Abhishek removed his helmet and celebrated with a meditation-style yoga pose on the field.
His 30-ball century will now stand as one of the defining individual performances of India’s T20I campaign in 2026.
