Abhishek Sharma Fastest T20I Century and All Records Broken vs Afghanistan
Abhishek Sharma 30-ball century against Afghanistan was not only a fast hundred but also a record-breaking innings. In the third T20I in Delhi on September 17, 2026, he reached 100 from just 30 balls and finished with 108 from 34 balls, including 9 fours and 11 sixes. The century became the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter and the fastest by a batter from a full-member nation. Overall, it was the third-fastest century in men's T20Is, behind 27-ball and 29-ball hundreds by Sahil Chauhan and Muhammad Fahad.
The innings also broke Rohit Sharma's previous Indian record of a 35-ball T20I century and added more records to Abhishek's growing T20I career. India went on to beat Afghanistan by 127 runs and complete a 3–0 series sweep.
How Did Abhishek Sharma Score His 30-Ball Century Against Afghanistan?
Abhishek Sharma reached his century in just 30 balls after starting aggressively from the first over against Afghanistan in the third T20I in Delhi. He first reached his fifty from only 16 balls, and then kept attacking the Afghanistan bowlers instead of slowing down. During the first six overs, he scored 76 runs from 22 balls, which set the tone for his record-breaking innings.
Abhishek reached 99 with a six and then completed his century with a single. He finished on 108 runs from 34 balls, with 9 fours and 11 sixes, before Rashid Khan dismissed him. His 30-ball hundred became India's fastest T20I century and the fastest T20I century by a batter from a full-member nation.
What Record Did Abhishek Sharma Break With His Latest Century?
Abhishek Sharma 30-ball century broke Rohit Sharma's record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter. Rohit had reached his hundred in 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017, while Abhishek reached the mark five balls faster against Afghanistan.
The innings also gave Abhishek the fastest T20I century by a batter from a full-member nation. He passed the previous 33-ball marks held by Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe and Finn Allen of New Zealand. However, his 30-ball hundred was not the fastest men's T20I century overall: it placed him third on the overall list, behind Sahil Chauhan's 27-ball century and Muhammad Fahad's 29-ball hundred.
Who Had the Fastest T20I Century Before Abhishek Sharma?
Before Abhishek Sharma 30-ball century, the fastest T20I century in men's cricket belonged to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia, who reached 100 from just 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024. This remains the overall T20I record.
The second-fastest was Muhammad Fahad of Turkey, who scored his century in 29 balls against Bulgaria in 2025. Abhishek's 30-ball century against Afghanistan therefore moved him into third place overall, while also giving him the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter and by a batter from a full-member nation.
Top 5 Fastest T20I Centuries Before Abhishek Sharma: Who Scored the Fastest 100?
Before Abhishek Sharma 30-ball century, Sahil Chauhan held the fastest T20I century record with a 27-ball hundred for Estonia against Cyprus in 2024. Muhammad Fahad was next with a 29-ball century for Turkey against Bulgaria in 2025.
| Rank | Player | Team | Balls | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sahil Chauhan | Estonia | 27 | Cyprus |
| 2 | Muhammad Fahad | Turkey | 29 | Bulgaria |
| 3 | Abhishek Sharma | India | 30 | Afghanistan |
| 4 | Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | Namibia | 33 | Nepal |
| 5 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 33 | Gambia |
Abhishek Sharma then scored his century in 30 balls against Afghanistan, making it the third-fastest men’s T20I century overall. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Sikandar Raza had earlier scored 33-ball centuries for Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Top 10 Fastest T20I Centuries Before Abhishek Sharma: Players and Their 100-Ball Speed
Before Abhishek Sharma 30-ball century, several batters had already scored T20I hundreds at remarkable speed. Sahil Chauhan held the overall record with a 27-ball century for Estonia against Cyprus in 2024, while Muhammad Fahad reached 100 in 29 balls for Turkey against Bulgaria in 2025.
Here are the fastest men’s T20I centuries recorded before Abhishek Sharma’s 30-ball hundred:
| Player | Team | Balls to 100 | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahil Chauhan | Estonia | 27 | Cyprus | 2024 |
| Muhammad Fahad | Turkey | 29 | Bulgaria | 2025 |
| Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | Namibia | 33 | Nepal | 2024 |
| Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 33 | Gambia | 2024 |
| Finn Allen | New Zealand | 33 | South Africa | 2026 |
| Mark Chapman | New Zealand | 38 | — | — |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 35 | Sri Lanka | 2017 |
| David Miller | South Africa | 35 | Bangladesh | 2017 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | India | 45 | Sri Lanka | 2023 |
| Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 47 | India | 2019 |
The most important point is that Abhishek Sharma 30-ball century came between Muhammad Fahad’s 29-ball record and the group of 33-ball centuries. The ICC currently lists Sahil Chauhan, Muhammad Fahad, Abhishek Sharma, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Sikandar Raza and Finn Allen as the leading fastest men’s T20I century-makers.
Where Does Abhishek Sharma Rank Among Fastest T20I Centuries?
Abhishek Sharma is currently third on the list of the fastest centuries in men's T20I cricket. He reached 100 in just 30 balls against Afghanistan in Delhi on September 17, 2026. Only Estonia's Sahil Chauhan, who scored a 27-ball century against Cyprus in 2024, and Turkey's Muhammad Fahad, who reached his hundred in 29 balls against Bulgaria in 2025, are ahead of him.
Abhishek's 30-ball century is also the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter and the fastest by a batter from an ICC Full Member nation. His record moved him ahead of the 33-ball centuries by Namibia's Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza and New Zealand's Finn Allen.
Who Are the Players With the Fastest T20I Centuries in Cricket?
Who Are the Players With the Fastest T20I Centuries in Cricket?
The fastest T20I centuries in men's cricket have been scored by batters from different countries. Estonia's Sahil Chauhan holds the overall record after reaching 100 in just 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024. Turkey's Muhammad Fahad is second with a 29-ball century, while India's Abhishek Sharma is third after his 30-ball hundred against Afghanistan in 2026.
| Player | Team | Balls to 100 | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahil Chauhan | Estonia | 27 | Cyprus | 2024 |
| Muhammad Fahad | Turkey | 29 | Bulgaria | 2025 |
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 30 | Afghanistan | 2026 |
| Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | Namibia | 33 | Nepal | 2024 |
| Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 33 | Gambia | 2024 |
| Finn Allen | New Zealand | 33 | South Africa | 2026 |
This list also shows why Abhishek Sharma's 30-ball century is important. It is the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter and the fastest by a batter from an ICC Full Member nation, although two Associate-nation batters have reached 100 in fewer balls.
How Do the Fastest T20I Centuries Compare by Balls Faced?
The fastest T20I centuries have come within a very small difference in balls. Sahil Chauhan reached 100 in 27 balls, while Muhammad Fahad needed 29 balls. Abhishek Sharma reached his century in 30 balls against Afghanistan, just one ball slower than Fahad. Three other batters Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Sikandar Raza and Finn Allen reached their hundreds in 33 balls.
| Player | Balls to 100 | Difference from Abhishek |
|---|---|---|
| Sahil Chauhan | 27 | 3 balls faster |
| Muhammad Fahad | 29 | 1 ball faster |
| Abhishek Sharma | 30 | — |
| Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | 33 | 3 balls slower |
| Sikandar Raza | 33 | 3 balls slower |
| Finn Allen | 33 | 3 balls slower |
This comparison shows how close the current fastest T20I century records are. Abhishek's 30-ball hundred is the third-fastest overall in men's T20Is, while it is the fastest by an Indian batter and by a Full Member nation batter.
What Are the Fastest T20I Centuries Among Full-Member Teams?
When we look only at batters from ICC Full-Member teams, Abhishek Sharma currently holds the fastest T20I century. He reached 100 in just 30 balls against Afghanistan in 2026. Before him, the record was shared by New Zealand's Finn Allen and Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza, who both scored their centuries in 33 balls.
| Player | Team | Balls to 100 | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 30 | Afghanistan | 2026 |
| Finn Allen | New Zealand | 33 | South Africa | 2026 |
| Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 33 | Gambia | 2024 |
| David Miller | South Africa | 35 | Bangladesh | 2017 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 35 | Sri Lanka | 2017 |
| Tim David | Australia | 37 | West Indies | 2025 |
| Johnson Charles | West Indies | 39 | South Africa | 2023 |
| Phil Salt | England | 39 | South Africa | 2025 |
| Sanju Samson | India | 40 | Bangladesh | 2024 |
| Tilak Varma | India | 41 | South Africa | 2024 |
The 30-ball century also means Abhishek is the fastest Full-Member batter to score a T20I hundred against another Full-Member team. His record came against Afghanistan, while Finn Allen's previous mark of 33 balls was scored against South Africa.
How Has Abhishek Sharma Changed India's T20I Century Record?
Abhishek Sharma has changed India's fastest T20I century record by bringing the mark down from 35 balls to 30 balls. Rohit Sharma had held the Indian record since his 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017. Abhishek broke that record with his 30-ball hundred against Afghanistan on September 17, 2026. Get more informations related this news
Abhishek has also shown how quickly the Indian record has moved in recent years. Before his latest century, he had already scored a 37-ball hundred against England in 2025. His new 30-ball century is seven balls faster than that effort and five balls faster than Rohit's previous Indian record. He is now the only batter to have two T20I centuries in fewer than 40 balls.
FAQs:
How Many Balls Did Abhishek Sharma Take to Reach 100?
Abhishek Sharma reached his T20I century in just 30 balls against Afghanistan on September 17, 2026.
What Record Did Abhishek Sharma Break Against Afghanistan?
He broke Rohit Sharma's record for India's fastest T20I century, reducing it from 35 balls to 30 balls.
Who Had India's Fastest T20I Century Before Abhishek Sharma?
Rohit Sharma held India's fastest T20I century record with a 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Where Does Abhishek Sharma's 30-Ball Century Rank Globally?
His 30-ball century ranks third-fastest overall in men's T20I cricket.
Who Has Scored the Fastest Century in T20I Cricket?
Sahil Chauhan of Estonia holds the record, scoring a T20I century in just 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024.