A stunning chapter in international T20 cricket was authored in Delhi as Indian left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma dismantled the bowling attack to claim a historic national milestone. Facing Afghanistan in the third T20 match, the dynamic batter produced a breathtaking masterclass of power-hitting, racing to his century in just 30 balls. With this explosive knock, he officially surpassed Rohit Sharma to become the fastest centurion for India in men's T20 Internationals. Rohit Sharma had set the previous national benchmark in 2017 at Indore, when he hammered a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka.
A Fierce 108-Run Blitz Off 34 Deliveries
The innings was marked by ferocious boundary-hitting from the very first over. Abhishek reached his half-century in a blistering 16 balls before shifting into an even higher gear, piling on the next 50 runs in just 14 deliveries to wrap up the hundred in 30 balls flat. By the time his destructive stay concluded, he had accumulated 108 runs from merely 34 balls, punishing the bowling unit with 9 boundaries and 11 sixes. This remarkable knock also marked the third century of his T20 International career.
Overall Standings for the Fastest T20I Centuries
Across all men's T20 Internationals, the world record for the quickest century belongs to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia, who reached triple figures in 27 deliveries. Turkey's Muhammad Fahad occupies the second position with a 29-ball hundred. Abhishek Sharma's 30-ball onslaught against Afghanistan in Delhi during 2026 firmly slots him in the third spot on the global all-time chart. Behind them, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton of Namibia, Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe, and South Africa's Finn Allen have all registered centuries in 33 deliveries.
Leading the Pack Among Full Member Nations
When filtering exclusively for fixtures contested between ICC Full Member nations, Abhishek Sharma stands alone at the pinnacle of the list with his 30-ball milestone. Joint second place among Full Member teams is shared by Sikandar Raza and Finn Allen, both having reached triple figures in 33 balls. Prior to these modern blitzes, South Africa's David Miller and India's Rohit Sharma had shared the Full Member summit after both compiled 35-ball centuries in 2017.
India's Quickest Fifties and Abhishek's Sub-20-Ball Global Milestone
While Yuvraj Singh continues to hold India's all-time fastest T20I half-century record courtesy of his iconic 12-ball effort against England in 2007, Abhishek has repeatedly threatened that mark. His explosive resume features a 14-ball half-century against New Zealand in Guwahati, a 16-ball fifty against Afghanistan, and a 17-ball milestone against England. Among other rapid Indian half-centuries, Shivam Dube reached fifty in 15 balls against New Zealand, while Hardik Pandya scored a 16-ball fifty against South Africa. Furthermore, Abhishek Sharma has established a world record for scoring the most half-centuries in 20 or fewer deliveries, achieving the feat on 6 separate occasions. He has comfortably eclipsed international heavyweights such as Yuvraj Singh, Colin Munro, Adil Butt, Finn Allen, and Dasun Shanaka, each of whom recorded 3 such fifties.
