India’s explosive opening batter Abhishek Sharma delivered a masterclass in aggressive batting during the final Twenty20 International against Afghanistan, rewriting the record books with a blistering display of power hitting. Setting the tone right from the outset, the left-hander deposited the very first delivery of the match over the boundary for a maximum. This audacious start signaled an onslaught that the opposition bowling attack simply had no answer to, as he unleashed a barrage of boundaries and sixes to secure his third career T20I century in just 30 deliveries.
This breathtaking knock propelled the young cricketer into the history books, establishing a new global benchmark. Among cricketers representing full member nations holding Test status, Abhishek now proudly holds the record for the fastest-ever century in the shortest format of the international game.
Prior to this remarkable feat, the record was jointly shared by New Zealand dasher Finn Allen and Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, both of whom had reached the three-figure mark in 33 balls. While Allen achieved his milestone earlier this year against South Africa, Raza recorded his during a fixture against Gambia, an associate nation. Abhishek’s feat against a full member side therefore marks a significant milestone in modern international cricket.
When widening the scope to include all global fixtures—encompassing both full members and associate nations—Abhishek’s 30-ball blitz ranks as the third-fastest T20I century overall. The global leaderboard is currently topped by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, who reached a century in just 27 balls against Cyprus, followed closely by Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad in second place, who accomplished the milestone in 29 balls against Bulgaria.
Despite racing to his hundred at a phenomenal pace, Abhishek’s time at the crease came to a close shortly after reaching the landmark. He faced only four more deliveries following his century before eventually departing for a magnificent 108 runs off just 34 balls. His unforgettable innings was decorated with 9 elegant fours and 11 towering sixes, leaving spectators spellbound and underlining his status as one of the most exciting talents in contemporary limited-overs cricket.