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Fastest T20I century! Abhishek Sharma - Run machine man smashes 30-ball century, breaks Rohit Sharma’s record
Abhishek Sharma's 30-ball hundred is the fastest by an Indian in T20I history and third-fastest globally in men's cricket. The left-hander was dismissed for 108 off just 34 balls. Rohit Sharma held the record previously.
Abhishek Sharma became the fastest Indian to score a T20I hundred as the left-hander opener beat former captain Rohit Sharma for the record by five deliveries on Thursday against Afghanistan in third and final T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Having scored 89 and 32 in the first two games of the series in chase, Abhishek didn't let the opportunity go away when India were asked to bat first.
While Sanju Samson held the fort at the other end, Abhishek went bang bang from the go as India recorded their highest powerplay score in the shortest format - 100/0 in six overs. He was particularly brutal against Fazalhaq Farooqi, clobbering the left-arm pacer for 23 runs in the third over.
Two overs later, Abhishek smoked Mohammad Nabi for two sixes and a four in the final three balls of the fifth over. The net over, Abhishek treates Rashid Khan in the same way as the Men in Blue touched the three-figure mark in just first 36 deliveries of the match.
He brought up his third T20I hundred with a six and a single off Abdullah Ahmadzai in the ninth over of the innings. However, the Indian fell to Rashid the next over, and walked back for 108 off just 34 balls, which was studded with nine fours and 11 sixes.
In the process, Abhishek reached his hundred in 30 balls, beating Rohit by five deliveries. The former Indian skipper had scored a hundred off 35 balls against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. Overall, Abhishek also jumped to the third place in the list of fastest T20I hundreds, behind Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) and Muhammad Fahad (Turkey).
Notably, Rohit quit T20Is in 2024 after leading India to a T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados. Abhishek's first two hundreds came against Zimbabwe (100 in 2024) and England (135 in 2025). Abhishek's 30-ball hundred is also the fastest t20I century by a batter from a Test-playing nation. He surpassed Zimbabwe captain Sikandra Raza's 33-ball ton against Gambia in 2024.
Chauhan fastest hundred in T20Is came against Cyprus in 2024, in just 27 balls. The following year, Turkey's Muhammad Fahad missed on the world record by just two deliveries, against Bulgaria. Both Turkey and Estonia are not full member teams.
Meanwhile, riding on Abhishek's marauding innings and Sanju Samson's 50, India managed to put 221/7 on board. After Abhishek was dismissed in the 10th over, the Men in Blue lost wickets at regular intervals. Captain Shreyas Iyer contributed with 29. India are already leading the series 2-0.
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.