Abhishek Sharma of India achieved a T20 international milestone by compiling a century in 30 deliveries against Afghanistan in Delhi. His innings consisted of 108 runs from 34 balls overall, featuring 11 sixes and nine fours. This performance surpassed the previous record for the quickest hundred by a batter from a Test-playing nation, eclipsing centuries by New Zealand’s Finn Allen (33 balls against South Africa in the T20 World Cup semi-final earlier this year) and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza (33 balls against Gambia in October 2024).
The 30-ball benchmark also marks the fastest T20 international hundred between two Test-playing countries. While faster centuries have been recorded in men’s T20 internationals overall—Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan scored off 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024, and Muhammad Fahad accomplished the feat in 29 balls for Turkey against Bulgaria a year later—Abhishek’s hundred represents the pinnacle among nations with Test cricket status. West Indies’ Deandra Dottin holds the women’s record with a 38-ball century against South Africa in 2010.
Abhishek’s achievement gives him three T20 international centuries, making him the third-leading Indian in this category behind Rohit Sharma (5) and Suryakumar Yadav (4). His latest record surpasses Rohit’s previous fastest India T20I century of 35 balls against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. Notably, Abhishek has posted an even faster hundred in domestic T20 cricket, scoring 28 balls for Punjab against Meghalaya in 2024.
The explosive innings fueled India’s total of 221-7 before Afghanistan collapsed to 94 all out in their reply. India completed a series sweep with a 3-0 victory, dismissing Afghanistan in 14.1 overs. Abhishek contributed to the bowling effort with a catch, while Nitish Kumar Reddy took three wickets during the 12th over of Afghanistan’s innings.
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