In an explosive display of power hitting at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, India’s Abhishek Sharma reached a remarkable century in just 30 balls during the third T20 match against Afghanistan. The opener’s performance provided an early celebration for the Delhi crowd, as he dominated the visitors’ bowling attack from the outset.
Sharma’s innings ultimately concluded at 108 runs off 34 deliveries, featuring 11 sixes and nine fours. His tenure at the crease ended in the tenth over when he was caught behind by Rahmanullah Gurbaz off the bowling of Rashid Khan. The crowd at the Kotla stadium honored the effort with a standing ovation, while India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, was seen applauding from the dugout.
This achievement places Sharma among the elite in the format. He surpassed the previous records of 33-ball centuries held by Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza—set against Gambia in 2024—and New Zealand’s Finn Allen, who achieved the feat during the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Globally, the record for the fastest T20 century remains with Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, who needed only 27 balls.
India, already holding an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, elected to bat first. Sharma began his assault with a cautious boundary off Fazalhaq Farooqi but soon accelerated, dismantling Azmatullah Omarzai for two sixes and a boundary. A crucial turning point occurred when he struck Mohammad Nabi for consecutive sixes and a four, completing his half-century in just 16 balls.
During the powerplay, Sharma secured a new record for individual scoring in overs 1-6 in Men’s T20Is by amassing 76 runs from just 22 deliveries. As he approached his milestone, he hit a six to reach 99 before completing the hundred with a single, marking the moment by sitting in a meditation pose to signify his focus.
The impact of his hitting extended beyond a single game. According to CricViz, the 26-year-old established a new world record for the most T20I sixes struck in the powerplay within a single calendar year. He reached a total of 37 maximums for 2026, surpassing his own previous record of 34 set in 2025.
Watching from the hospitality stand, Sharma’s father, Rajkumar Sharma, observed the spectacle with pride. The innings solidified a dominant position for India, as the team aimed to set a formidable target following the opener’s exceptional display of skill and technique. The report also notes that by then, Abhishek had ensured early Diwali celebrations had arrived for everyone at Kotla. The report also notes that overall, it stands as the third-fastest century in men’s T20I history, trailing only Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad (29 balls). The report also notes that as per CricViz, Abhishek raised his 2026 tally to 37 maximums (with seven sixes coming in the power-play in the ongoing game) and shattered his own previous best of 34 maximums hit in the six-over phase in 2025.
