India opener Abhishek Sharma produced a breathtaking display of power hitting against Afghanistan in the final T20 international of the series, smashing a century from just 30 balls to set a new record among players from Test-playing nations.
The left-handed batter made his intentions clear from the very first delivery, launching the opening ball for six. From there, he maintained an aggressive approach, repeatedly finding the boundary and putting Afghanistan’s bowlers under sustained pressure.
Abhishek reached his third T20 century in only 30 deliveries, turning a rapid start into one of the most destructive innings of his career. His century also placed him at the top of the list for the fastest T20 hundred by a player representing a Test-playing nation.
The previous record belonged to New Zealand’s Finn Allen, who scored a 33-ball century against South Africa earlier this year. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has also recorded a century from 33 deliveries, although that innings came against Gambia, which is not an ICC Full Member.
The distinction is significant because records involving only Test-playing nations exclude performances by players from Associate members. When all teams, including Associate nations, are considered, Abhishek’s 30-ball hundred ranks as the third-fastest in T20 international cricket.
Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan holds the fastest mark in that broader category. He reached his century in just 27 balls against Cyprus. Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad is second on the list, having struck a 29-ball century against Bulgaria.
Abhishek’s achievement therefore sits within a particularly select group of explosive T20 innings. His ability to score at such a rate was underlined by the number of boundaries he struck during his stay at the crease.
Despite reaching his century in record-breaking fashion, Abhishek could not remain at the crease for long afterwards. He faced only four more deliveries following his hundred before being dismissed, finishing with 108 from 34 balls.
His innings contained nine fours and 11 sixes. The 20 boundaries alone accounted for 102 of his 108 runs, highlighting just how heavily his innings was built around aggressive strokeplay.
The century was also the third of Abhishek’s T20 career, adding another major landmark to his growing reputation as an attacking opening batter. By combining a six from the first ball with sustained boundary-hitting throughout the innings, he transformed the final match of the series into another memorable chapter in his short-format career.
His 30-ball century has now given him a record that previously stood at 33 balls and placed his name among the fastest century-makers in the history of T20 cricket.
