Abhishek Sharma's 30-ball ton vs Afghanistan: Every record broken in Delhi
Synopsis
Abhishek Sharma did not just score a century against Afghanistan — he atomised nine years of T20I record books in a single 34-ball innings. The 30-ball hundred erases Rohit Sharma's long-standing Indian record, breaks two global full-member benchmarks, and puts Abhishek level with Virat Kohli on T20 hundreds. One more ton and he stands alone.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Sharma scored 108 off 34 balls vs Afghanistan in the third T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi on 17 September 2026 .
His 30-ball century is the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian, breaking Rohit Sharma's 35-ball record set in 2017 .
He holds the record for the fastest T20I ton by a full-member nation batter and fastest against a full-member nation, both previously at 33 balls (Sikandar Raza / Finn Allen).
Abhishek smashed 76 off 22 balls in the powerplay — the most runs in the first six overs of any Men's T20I.
His 10th T20 century draws him level with Virat Kohli as India's joint highest century-scorer in the format.
His series tally of 22 sixes equals his own Indian record for the most sixes in a T20I series, first set against England in 2025 .
India opener Abhishek Sharma rewrote T20I history with a breathtaking 108 off 34 balls against Afghanistan in the third and final T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on 17 September 2026. The left-hander's 30-ball century shattered multiple records in one of the most explosive T20I innings ever played by an Indian batter.
The Fastest T20I Century by an Indian
Abhishek's hundred came off just 30 deliveries, eclipsing the long-standing record held by former India captain Rohit Sharma, who had struck a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore back in 2017. That nine-year-old benchmark, considered near-untouchable, was dismantled emphatically on a charged Delhi evening. Notably, Abhishek, who recently turned 26, achieved this against a full-member nation — adding further weight to the achievement.
Global Records Tumbled Too
The innings did not stop at an Indian record. Abhishek now holds the record for the fastest T20I century by any batter from a full-member nation, as well as the fastest T20I century scored against a full-member nation. Both previous marks — jointly held by Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe and New Zealand's Finn Allen at 33 balls — were broken in one stroke. Allen had set the record against a full-member side by hitting a 33-ball hundred against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final.
Powerplay Dominance and Other Milestones
Abhishek's carnage in the powerplay was equally staggering. He smashed 76 runs off 22 balls in the first six overs, surpassing the previous record of 74 off 25 balls set by Portugal's Kuldeep Gholiya against Malta in 2023. He now holds the record for the most runs by an individual in the first six overs of a Men's T20I.
The Punjab-born batter also extended his own record for the most T20I fifties off 20 balls or fewer, registering his sixth such instance. His fifty on this occasion arrived off just 16 balls.
Kohli-Level Century Count and Series Sixes Record
Abhishek's ton was also his 10th century in T20 cricket, drawing him level with Virat Kohli — making the two joint holders of the record for the most T20 hundreds by an Indian. He needs just one more hundred to stand alone at the top of that list.
He also smashed 11 sixes in the innings, taking his tally for the three-match series to 22 sixes — equalling his own Indian record for the most sixes by an Indian in a single T20I series, a feat he had first achieved against England in 2025.
What This Innings Signals
Abhishek's assault on the Afghanistan attack at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was not simply an individual milestone — it was a statement of intent ahead of a busy international calendar for India. His ability to dismantle high-quality bowling attacks in the powerplay has now been backed by global record-breaking numbers. With the landmark of becoming India's most prolific T20 century-maker now just one hundred away, all eyes will be on where and when he reaches that landmark next.
Point of View
But the more important question is whether the selectors now build India's T20I top-order philosophy around his specific demolition-phase skill set.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What records did Abhishek Sharma break in his 108 against Afghanistan?
Abhishek Sharma broke the record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian (30 balls, beating Rohit Sharma's 35-ball effort from 2017), the fastest T20I ton by a full-member nation batter, and the fastest T20I ton against a full-member nation. He also set a new record for the most runs in the first six overs of a Men's T20I with 76 off 22 balls.
Whose record did Abhishek Sharma break for the fastest T20I century by an Indian?
Abhishek broke former India captain Rohit Sharma's record, who had hit a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. That record had stood for nine years before being surpassed in Delhi on 17 September 2026.
How does Abhishek Sharma's century compare to Finn Allen's global record?
Finn Allen and Sikandar Raza jointly held the record for the fastest T20I century by a full-member nation player at 33 balls. Allen separately held the mark for the fastest hundred against a full-member nation — also 33 balls — hit against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. Abhishek's 30-ball ton broke both records.
How many T20 centuries does Abhishek Sharma have now?
Abhishek Sharma now has 10 centuries in T20 cricket, drawing level with Virat Kohli as the joint-highest century-scorer among Indians in the format. He needs one more hundred to become India's most prolific T20 century-maker.
What is Abhishek Sharma's sixes record in this series against Afghanistan?
Abhishek hit 11 sixes in his innings of 108, taking his series tally to 22 sixes. This equals his own Indian record for the most sixes in a T20I series, which he had first set against England in 2025.
