India opener Abhishek Sharma scripted history on Thursday by smashing the fastest T20 International century by an Indian batter, reaching the milestone in just 30 balls against Afghanistan in the third and final T20I in Delhi.
The left-handed batter's explosive innings included nine fours and 10 sixes as he surpassed the previous Indian record held by Rohit Sharma, who had scored a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore in December 2017.
Abhishek brought up his century with a single in the ninth over of India's innings. The knock marked his third century in T20 cricket for India, adding to his tally of 12 half-centuries.
Abhishek Sharma breaks Rohit Sharma’s T20I record
Rohit Sharma had held the record for India's fastest T20I century for nearly nine years, having reached three figures in 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Abhishek's 30-ball hundred reduced that mark by five deliveries and placed him among the fastest centurions in T20I cricket.
His century is also the fastest recorded by a batter representing a full-member, Test-playing nation. Only faster centuries in the overall T20I record list have come from players representing associate nations, according to current records.
Abhishek Sharma sets new T20I powerplay record
The century was not the only record Abhishek broke during his sensational innings.
The India opener scored an unbeaten 76 off just 22 balls during the first six overs, setting a new record for the highest individual score in the powerplay in men's T20Is.
He surpassed Portugal's Kuldeep Gholiya, who had scored an unbeaten 74 off 25 balls against Malta in Gibraltar in 2023.
Australia's Travis Head occupies the next spot with an unbeaten 73 off 22 balls against Scotland in Edinburgh in 2024.
Highest individual scores in overs 1-6 in men's T20Is
| Score | Batter | Match | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76*(22) | Abhishek Sharma (IND) | India vs Afghanistan | Delhi | 2026 |
| 74*(25) | Kuldeep Gholiya (POR) | Portugal vs Malta | Gibraltar | 2023 |
| 73*(22) | Travis Head (AUS) | Australia vs Scotland | Edinburgh | 2024 |
| 68*(21) | Wintley Burton (SER) | Serbia vs Bulgaria | Sofia | 2022 |
| 68*(28) | George Munsey (SCO) | Scotland vs Austria | Edinburgh | 2023 |
The record-breaking powerplay came after Abhishek had already impressed in the opening match of the series, when he scored 82 off 32 balls in India's seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan.
Fastest centuries in T20I cricket
Abhishek's 30-ball century places him among the fastest century-makers in T20I cricket.
The overall list includes Sahil Chauhan's 27-ball century for Estonia against Cyprus and Muhammad Fahad's 29-ball hundred for Turkey against Bulgaria. Abhishek's 30-ball effort is the fastest among batters representing full-member nations.
| Player | Balls | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Sahil Chauhan | 27 | Estonia vs Cyprus |
| Muhammad Fahad | 29 | Turkey vs Bulgaria |
| Abhishek Sharma | 30 | India vs Afghanistan |
| Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | 33 | Namibia vs Nepal |
| Sikandar Raza | 33 | Zimbabwe vs Gambia |
| Finn Allen | 33 | New Zealand vs South Africa |
| Kushal Malla | 34 | Nepal vs Mongolia |
| David Miller | 35 | South Africa vs Bangladesh |
| Rohit Sharma | 35 | India vs Sri Lanka |
Abhishek Sharma’s record-breaking T20I knock
Abhishek's latest performance adds another landmark to his rapidly growing T20I record.
The opener had already made an impact in the series opener against Afghanistan, scoring 82 from 32 balls in Delhi. The ICC had earlier reported his intention to continue with an attacking approach after that innings.
His latest century, however, has taken that aggressive style to another level, as he broke a long-standing Indian record and also set a new benchmark for powerplay scoring in men's T20Is.
Inputs from agencies
