Abhishek Sharma's Historic T20I Century Powers India to Victory

In a remarkable performance, Abhishek Sharma scored a record-breaking 108 runs off just 34 balls, achieving the fastest T20I century in history. His explosive innings propelled India to a formidable total of 221/7 against Afghanistan in the third T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The match showcased India's batting prowess, with Sharma's historic century and significant contributions from other players. Despite Afghanistan's efforts, India maintained control throughout the game, leading to a decisive victory. Read on to discover more about this thrilling encounter and Sharma's record-setting achievement.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 17, 2026, 22:12 IST

Abhishek Sharma's Record-Breaking Onslaught

In a stunning display, Abhishek Sharma scored an incredible 108 runs off just 34 balls, achieving a record-setting century in 31 balls, as India set a formidable total of 221/7 against Afghanistan during the third T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.

Opting to bat first, India got off to a rapid start, with Sharma hitting Azmatullah Omarzai for 16 runs in the second over, propelling the team to 22/0.

Continuing his aggressive approach, Sharma struck Fazalhaq Farooqi for 22 runs in the next over, pushing India's score to 45/0.

The boundaries kept flowing, and India reached the 50-run mark in the fourth over, standing at 56/0.

In the next over, Sanju Samson hit two consecutive sixes off Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi, marking his 9,000th run in T20 cricket. Sharma also reached a rapid half-century in just 16 balls during this over, as India raced to 85/0, leaving Afghanistan's bowlers in disarray during the powerplay.

India completed the powerplay without losing a wicket, finishing at a commanding 100 runs.

Sharma continued his assault, hitting two sixes off Mujeeb Ur Rahman, bringing the score to 124/0, with Sharma nearing his century.

Sharma Scripts History with Fastest Ton

In the next over against Abdullah Ahmadzai, Abhishek Sharma made history by scoring the fastest T20I century by a player from a Test-playing nation, achieving the milestone in just 31 balls. This marked his third T20I century, surpassing Rohit Sharma's previous record of a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017.

On the fifth ball of the 10th over, leg-spinner Rashid Khan ended Sharma's explosive innings, dismissing him for 108 runs off 34 balls, which included nine fours and 11 sixes. Thanks to Sharma's remarkable century, India reached 142/1 at the end of 10 overs.

Afghanistan Fight Back in Middle Overs

India lost their second wicket when Rashid Khan executed a brilliant run-out to dismiss Tilak Varma for just two runs, leaving India at 155/2 after 12 overs.

Sanju Samson reached his second consecutive half-century in the 13th over, achieving the milestone in 34 balls against Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Shortly after, Samson was dismissed for 50 runs off 35 balls by Azmatullah Omarzai, which included two fours and four sixes.

India's Strong Finish

Despite the loss of wickets, Indian batters maintained their aggressive play, with captain Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube guiding the team to 184/3 after 15 overs.

In the next over, Rashid Khan took a spectacular catch to dismiss Dube, who scored 14 runs with two boundaries.

India crossed the 200-run mark by the end of the 16th over, with Iyer and Ishan Kishan at the crease.

Towards the end of the innings, India lost two quick wickets, including Ishan Kishan (10) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1), while Shreyas Iyer contributed 29 runs, helping India finish with a challenging score of 221/7 in 20 overs.

For Afghanistan, Omarzai claimed two wickets, while Rashid Khan and Abdullah Ahmadzai took one wicket each.