Some records take decades to fall. Abhishek Sharma broke one that had stood since 2017 in barely 15 minutes of batting.
The Innings
In the third T20I against Afghanistan at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 17, Sharma reached his century in just 30 balls, finishing unbeaten on 108 off 34 with nine fours and 11 sixes before being caught behind off Rashid Khan. It eclipsed Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017, the previous benchmark for the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter.
Where It Sits Globally
- The fastest T20I century ever by a batter from an ICC full-member nation, surpassing the previous 35-ball mark jointly held by Rohit and South Africa’s David Miller
- The third-fastest century in men’s T20I history overall, behind Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad (29 balls)
- Sharma’s third T20I century, placing him behind only Rohit (five) and Suryakumar Yadav (four) on India’s all-time list
A Season of Records
The innings also extended a calendar-year milestone: Sharma’s seven powerplay sixes in the knock took his 2026 tally to 37 sixes in the first six overs, beating his own record of 34 set in 2025. His father Rajkumar Sharma watched from the stands, and head coach Gautam Gambhir applauded from the dugout.
The Bigger Picture
This form has kept Sharma at the top of the India headlines this September and cements his standing as one of India’s most destructive white-ball batters, opening alongside Ishan Kishan at the top of the order.