Abhishek Sharma Century: 30-Ball Masterclass vs Afghanistan

The left-handed batter eventually finished with 108 runs from 34 deliveries, including nine fours and 11 sixes, as India defeated Afghanistan by 127 runs to complete a 3-0 series sweep.

The innings was significant not only because of its speed and power but also because Abhishek rewrote India’s record books. His 30-ball hundred became the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter, surpassing Rohit Sharma’s previous record of a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017.

Abhishek Sharma’s 30-Ball Century Against Afghanistan

India won the toss and chose to bat first, giving Abhishek and Sanju Samson the opportunity to establish a strong platform.

Abhishek needed very little time to demonstrate what was coming.

He opened his account with a boundary and quickly targeted Afghanistan’s bowlers. Azmatullah Omarzai came under particular pressure early in the innings, while Abhishek continued to find the boundary with remarkable consistency.

The defining phase came during the Powerplay.

Abhishek combined aggressive strokeplay with excellent ball striking, helping India reach 100 runs inside the first six overs. He reached his half-century in just 16 balls, setting the platform for an extraordinary assault.

From there, the century became the major talking point.

Abhishek reached the 90s and then struck another six before completing his hundred with a single. He had taken only 30 balls to reach three figures, becoming the fastest Indian to score a T20I century.

According to the ICC, the century was also the fastest T20I hundred by a batter from a Full Member nation and the third-fastest overall in men’s T20Is at the time.

Abhishek Sharma 108 Off 34 Balls: The Numbers

Abhishek Sharma Century, Abhishek’s final score of 108 from 34 balls came at an extraordinary strike rate of 317.64.

His innings included:

• Runs: 108
• Balls: 34
• Fours: 9
• Sixes: 11
• Strike rate: 317.64
• Century: 30 balls
• Fifty: 16 balls
• Dismissal: c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Rashid Khan

The official scorecard confirms that Abhishek was dismissed in the 10th over by Afghanistan captain and leg-spinner Rashid Khan, with India at 142/1.

Perhaps the most remarkable statistic from the innings was that 102 of his 108 runs came in boundaries, according to BBC’s match report.

That statistic illustrates just how aggressively Abhishek approached the Afghanistan bowling attack.

Breaking Rohit Sharma’s Indian T20I Record

Before Abhishek’s innings, Rohit Sharma held the record for India’s fastest T20I century.

Rohit had scored his hundred from 35 balls against Sri Lanka at Indore in December 2017. Nearly nine years later, Abhishek bettered that mark by reaching his century in only 30 deliveries.

The record is particularly notable because Rohit’s innings had long represented one of the benchmarks for explosive Indian T20 batting.

Abhishek’s performance therefore represents another significant milestone in India’s development of aggressive T20 batting.

His approach was simple but highly effective: attack the powerplay, target loose deliveries and maintain pressure on the bowling attack rather than allowing Afghanistan to settle.

How Abhishek Reached His Century So Quickly

Abhishek’s century wasn’t built around one particular scoring shot. Instead, it came through relentless boundary hitting.

He attacked both pace and spin and was especially effective against deliveries in his hitting areas.

His ability to clear the boundary repeatedly meant Afghanistan were unable to build sustained pressure. Once Abhishek reached his fifty, the scoring rate accelerated even further.

According to Wisden’s account of the innings, Abhishek moved from his 50 to his century in only 14 balls, illustrating the extraordinary second half of his innings.

That acceleration is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the knock.

A batter reaching 50 from 16 balls is already producing a remarkable T20 innings. Turning that into a century only 14 balls later requires an extraordinary combination of timing, power and decision-making.

Abhishek and Sanju Samson Give India a Flying Start

Abhishek Sharma Century, While Abhishek was the headline act, Sanju Samson also played an important role in India’s massive total.

The pair produced a 142-run opening partnership, with Samson contributing 50 from 35 balls.

The partnership gave India a dominant start.

India crossed the 100-run mark during the Powerplay, putting Afghanistan under immediate pressure. Abhishek contributed the majority of the runs, but Samson’s presence at the other end prevented Afghanistan from concentrating completely on the left-hander.

After Abhishek’s dismissal, Samson continued to his half-century before being dismissed for 50.

India eventually finished on 221/7 from 20 overs.

Rashid Khan Finally Ends Abhishek’s Assault

Afghanistan’s breakthrough eventually came through Rashid Khan.

With Abhishek batting on 108, Rashid bowled a googly that the Indian opener attempted to play through the off side. The ball took an edge and Rahmanullah Gurbaz completed the catch behind the stumps.

Abhishek’s departure brought an end to an innings that had threatened to push India’s total well beyond 230.

India scored 142/1 when he was dismissed, meaning his wicket represented an important turning point in the innings.

Afghanistan subsequently managed to slow India’s scoring rate, and India finished on 221/7.

Afghanistan Struggle in the Chase

Chasing 222 was always going to require an exceptional start from Afghanistan.

Instead, India’s bowlers quickly established control.

Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for just 94 in 14.1 overs, giving India a comprehensive 127-run victory.

Ravi Bishnoi and Nitish Kumar Reddy were particularly effective.

Bishnoi finished with 3/26, while Nitish Kumar Reddy took 3/25. Axar Patel also claimed two wickets as Afghanistan’s chase lost momentum.

Ibrahim Zadran top-scored for Afghanistan with 25, but the visitors were unable to construct a substantial partnership.

India’s bowling performance ensured that Abhishek’s extraordinary batting effort translated into a convincing victory.

A Perfect End to a Remarkable T20I Series

Abhishek Sharma Century, Abhishek’s century was not an isolated performance during the series.

He had already scored 82 from 32 balls in the first T20I and followed that with 39 from 19 balls in the second match. He then produced the 108 off 34 in the finale.

That gave him 229 runs across the three-match series, at an average of 76.33 and a strike rate of 269.41, according to the BCCI. He also hit 22 sixes during the series and was named Player of the Series.

The consistency across all three matches makes the achievement even more notable.

Rather than producing one spectacular innings surrounded by failures, Abhishek contributed significantly throughout the series.

What the Century Means for Abhishek Sharma

The Afghanistan series further highlighted Abhishek’s role as an aggressive opening batter for India in T20 cricket.

His ability to attack from the beginning gives India a method of putting opposition bowling attacks under pressure during the Powerplay. His left-handed batting also provides variety at the top of the order.

The record-breaking century against Afghanistan adds another major milestone to his rapidly developing T20I career.

It also demonstrated his ability to convert a fast start into a huge individual score. Many aggressive T20 batters can score a rapid 40 or 50, but maintaining that scoring rate long enough to reach three figures is considerably more difficult.

Abhishek achieved exactly that in Delhi.

Abhishek Sharma’s Record-Breaking Night

The third T20I between India and Afghanistan will be remembered primarily for Abhishek Sharma’s extraordinary 30-ball century.

His final score of 108 from 34 balls contained nine fours and 11 sixes, while his century surpassed Rohit Sharma’s previous Indian T20I record.

India’s 127-run victory completed a 3-0 series sweep, while Abhishek Sharma collected both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.

For Abhishek, the innings represented more than simply another T20I hundred. It was a record-setting performance that placed his name alongside some of the fastest century-makers in international T20 cricket.

With the Asian Games next on India’s schedule, the timing of the performance also provides a significant boost heading into the next phase of the team’s T20 campaign.

Read More: Fastest T20I Hundreds: Top Players With the Quickest Centuries

Conclusion

Abhishek Sharma Century, Abhishek’s stunning 30-ball century against Afghanistan was a record-breaking display of aggressive T20 batting. His 108 off 34 balls, featuring 11 sixes and nine fours, helped India secure a commanding 127-run victory and complete a 3-0 series sweep. More importantly, the innings saw Abhishek surpass Rohit Sharma’s record for India’s fastest T20I hundred. With his consistency throughout the series and his fearless approach at the top of the order, Abhishek Sharma has added another memorable chapter to India’s T20I cricket story.