Abhishek Sharma hits 30-ball century in third T20I as India overpower Afghanistan in Delhi
Abhishek Sharma scored a 30-ball century for India against Afghanistan in the third and final T20I of the Friendship Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday. India had already secured the series after winning the first two matches.
The three-match contest produced a dominant batting display in the finale: India reached 100 without losing a wicket inside the powerplay, placing the Afghanistan bowling attack under huge pressure. Abhishek drove the assault, reaching his half-century in 16 balls and completing his hundred in 30 deliveries. By the time he reached three figures he had struck nine fours and 10 sixes, and India advanced to 132/0 in 8.3 overs.
The 30-ball hundred broke Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball T20I century against Sri Lanka in 2017 and surpassed Abhishek’s own 37-ball century vs England in 2025. The innings is also the fastest T20I century by a batter against a Full Member nation. Fastest T20I centuries: 30 balls – Abhishek Sharma vs Afghanistan, 33 balls – Finn Allen vs South Africa, 35 balls – David Miller vs Bangladesh, 35 balls – Rohit Sharma vs Sri Lanka, 37 balls – Abhishek Sharma vs England, 37 balls – Tim David vs West Indies.
Abhishek finished the innings with a strike rate of 317.64, the highest for an Indian batter in a T20I century. He hit 11 sixes in the innings, the second-highest six count by an Indian batter in a T20I innings, and ended the three-match series with 22 sixes, matching his own series total from India’s T20I series against England in 2025.
He scored 76 runs inside the powerplay, the highest score by an Indian batter in the first six overs of a T20I. The century was Abhishek’s third in T20I cricket, placing him among India’s leading century-makers.
The three-match series gave both teams a chance to prepare for the challenges ahead. Abhishek’s innings produced records across several categories, from the fastest century and highest powerplay score to six-hitting and strike rate.