Abhishek Sharma Blasts 30-Ball Century, Rewrites India’s T20I Record

Thirty balls. Ten sixes. Nine fours. One astonishing hundred. Abhishek Sharma produced a sensational batting spectacle against Afghanistan in the third T20I at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, smashing a century in just 30 deliveries. With that breathtaking knock, the left-hander erased Rohit Sharma’s long-standing Indian record for the fastest T20I century. Rohit had reached his hundred in 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017.Abhishek’s assault came at a staggering pace, with India racing to 132 without loss in just 8.3 overs as Afghanistan struggled to contain the onslaught.Records Fall in a FlashThe century was Abhishek’s third in T20Is, but the manner in which he reached it made the innings even more remarkable. He had previously smashed a 37-ball hundred against England in Mumbai in 2025. With his latest effort, he became the first batter in T20I history to score two centuries in fewer than 40 balls.His 30-ball hundred was also the third-fastest century in men’s T20I cricket, behind Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball hundred for Estonia and Muhammad Fahad’s 29-ball hundred for Turkey. Abhishek eventually fell to Rashid Khan in the 10th over, departing for a breathtaking 108 off 34 balls.A Celebration to Match the MomentAfter completing his century, Abhishek added another memorable moment to the spectacle. He sat down on the pitch and struck a meditation pose, recreating the celebration associated with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.The fireworks, however, had already done the talking. The knock was particularly significant given Abhishek’s recent struggles.Before the Delhi match, he had gone seven innings without scoring a half-century, including four single-digit scores. He was also competing for an opening slot alongside names such as Sanju Samson and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.But in Delhi, Abhishek answered the pressure with one of the most destructive innings of his international career. At 26, he has now joined an elite group of Indian batters with three or more men’s T20I centuries.With every explosive innings, Abhishek is turning potential into records and records into a legacy of his own.