Abhishek Sharma's 30-ball ton: Fastest T20I century by an Indian vs Afghanistan
Synopsis
Abhishek Sharma just put his name in the record books permanently. His 30-ball ton at Kotla — the fastest T20I century by any Indian and the quickest ever by a batter from a Test-playing nation — demolished Rohit Sharma's nine-year-old record and shook up the global list, trailing only two associate-nation efforts. The 76 he scored in the powerplay alone was an all-time men's T20I best.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Sharma scored 108 off 34 balls (9 fours, 11 sixes) against Afghanistan in the 3rd T20I on 17 September 2026 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi .
His 30-ball century is the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter, surpassing Rohit Sharma's 35-ball effort from 2017 .
It is also the fastest T20I century by any batter from a Test-playing nation in men's cricket.
Abhishek's 76 runs off 22 balls in the powerplay is the highest individual powerplay score in men's T20I history.
He extended his world record for powerplay sixes in a calendar year to 37 in 2026 , per CricViz .
Globally, only Estonia's Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey's Muhammad Fahad (29 balls) have scored T20I centuries faster.
Abhishek Sharma rewrote Indian cricket history on 17 September 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, smashing a stunning 30-ball century against Afghanistan in the third T20I — the fastest hundred ever by an Indian batter in the shortest format of the game.
The Knock That Shook Kotla
The left-handed opener was eventually caught behind by Rahmanullah Gurbaz off the bowling of Rashid Khan in the 10th over, walking back after a breathtaking innings of 108 off 34 balls, laced with 9 fours and 11 sixes. The capacity crowd at the stadium gave him a standing ovation as he departed.
Abhishek began with a boundary off pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi in the opening over before shifting into an altogether higher gear, targeting Azmatullah Omarzai for two sixes and a four in the second over. He then launched into Mohammad Nabi with two sixes and a four to bring up his half-century off a scarcely believable 16 balls.
Record-Breaking Powerplay Numbers
By the end of the powerplay, Abhishek had scored 76 runs off 22 balls — the highest individual total in overs 1-6 in men's T20I history. He continued his assault against Mujeeb ur Rahman and then Rashid Khan, reaching three figures off just 30 balls. He celebrated the milestone by sitting in a meditation pose on the pitch, a moment that captured the extraordinary calm with which he had decimated one of the world's best T20 bowling attacks.
According to data from CricViz, Abhishek also set a new world record for the most T20I sixes struck in the powerplay in a single calendar year, raising his 2026 tally to 37 powerplay maximums — surpassing his own previous best of 34 set in 2025, with 7 sixes coming in the powerplay in this innings alone.
Where It Stands in T20I History
The century eclipses former India captain Rohit Sharma's 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka at Holkar Stadium, Indore, in 2017 — long regarded as the benchmark for Indian batters in T20Is. Abhishek's knock is also the fastest hundred by a batter from a Test-playing nation in men's T20I cricket.
Globally, only Estonia's Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey's Muhammad Fahad (29 balls) have reached a T20I century faster, making this the third-fastest men's T20I hundred in history overall. Notably, both those efforts came against associate nations, adding further weight to Abhishek's feat against a side that boasts Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman.
Reactions From the Stands and Dugout
Abhishek's father, Rajkumar Sharma, watching from the hospitality stand, could not contain his emotion, breaking into a wide smile and applause. India head coach Gautam Gambhir was visibly elated in the dugout, lauding the knock that set the tone for India's innings against Afghanistan in the series decider.
With Abhishek's pyrotechnics setting a formidable platform, all eyes now turn to whether India can convert this explosive start into a series-clinching total — and to what the young opener does for an encore.
Point of View
And Abhishek treated them with the same disdain he showed the seamers. The global list still has two faster centuries, but both came against associate sides — Abhishek's stands alone among Test-nation encounters. The deeper question is whether India can now build a consistent top-order identity around his aggression, or whether this remains an electrifying cameo in an otherwise unsettled batting structure.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Abhishek Sharma set in the 3rd T20I against Afghanistan?
Abhishek Sharma scored the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter, reaching three figures off just 30 balls on 17 September 2026. His innings of 108 off 34 balls also stands as the fastest hundred by any batter from a Test-playing country in men's T20I history.
Whose record did Abhishek Sharma break?
He surpassed former India captain Rohit Sharma's record of a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka at Holkar Stadium, Indore, set in 2017. That knock had stood as the benchmark for Indian batters in T20Is for nearly nine years.
Where does Abhishek Sharma's century rank in overall T20I history?
It is the third-fastest men's T20I century of all time, behind Estonia's Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey's Muhammad Fahad (29 balls). Both faster efforts came against associate nations.
What was Abhishek Sharma's powerplay record in this innings?
Abhishek scored 76 runs off 22 balls in overs 1-6, the highest individual powerplay score in men's T20I history. He also hit 7 sixes in the powerplay, extending his 2026 world record tally of powerplay maximums to 37, according to CricViz.
How was Abhishek Sharma dismissed in the 3rd T20I?
He was caught behind by wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz off the bowling of Rashid Khan in the 10th over, after scoring 108 off 34 balls.
