He walked off Arun Jaitley Stadium to a standing ovation on September 17, having just carved out the fastest hundred by a batter from a Full Member nation in the format’s entire history. Thirty balls, third-quickest ever recorded across every team that has ever played the format. Two names from Estonia and Turkey still sit above it in the actual record books, unaffected by which country either man represents. That detail isn’t a footnote to celebrate around. It’s the whole complicated story behind what that hundred actually means for the sport.
A 34-Ball Knock For The Ages
Afghanistan won the toss, chose to bowl first, and instantly regretted it. Nine fours, 11 sixes, and barely a pause for breath across an innings that finished on 108 from just 34 deliveries. The powerplay alone brought 76 runs off 22 balls, the second-highest individual powerplay score in the format’s men’s history, while the top order raced to 100 without loss inside the first six overs, a new national record.
Rashid Khan eventually made the breakthrough in the 10th over, by which point the damage carried a strike rate of 317.64. Sanju Samson added a brisk 50 from 35 balls as the total climbed to 221 for 7, a target well beyond reach for a rattled top order. Afghanistan folded for 94 in reply, completing a heavy 127-run defeat and sealing a 3-0 series sweep for the visitors.
Abhishek Sharma India T20I fastest century
The landmark stands unambiguous among Full Member nations: 30 balls to three figures, five deliveries quicker than Rohit Sharma’s effort against Sri Lanka back in 2017. No batter from any of the 12 Test-playing countries has reached a hundred faster in this format. Three centuries now sit on the resume, every single one inside 40 balls.
A separate record fell in the same knock. Thirty-seven powerplay sixes across the calendar year broke the previous mark of 34, a mark set by the same player himself just twelve months earlier, with months of the season still to run.
Year | Powerplay Sixes in T20Is |
2025 | 34, previous record |
2026 | 37, new record |
Best rival tally | 29, set in 2023 |
A 50 in just 16 balls against this same Afghanistan attack ranks joint-fourth-fastest for the country, while a 14-ball fifty against New Zealand earlier this year sits second only to a legendary 12-ball effort from 2007.
Associate Nations Are Rewriting The Books
Full T20I status was extended to matches between all member nations back in 2019, and Associate sides have used that status to post innings that eclipse anything from the traditional powers. A batter representing Estonia struck a 27-ball hundred against Cyprus in 2024, finishing unbeaten on 144 from 41 deliveries with 18 sixes. A Turkish batter followed with a 29-ball century against Bulgaria the following year.
Both innings remain the fastest in the format’s history, full stop, no qualifier attached. The governing records draw no line between Full Member and Associate performances, treating a Bulgaria fixture the same as a Rashid Khan over. The table stays unified by design, an admirably democratic choice that nonetheless leaves the phrase fastest century meaning something quite different depending on who happens to be asking the question.
This Innings Sits Among The Greats
Rank | Batter | Nation | Balls | Status |
1 | Sahil Chauhan | Estonia | 27 | Associate |
2 | Muhammad Fahad | Turkey | 29 | Associate |
3 | Abhishek Sharma | India | 30 | Full Member |
4 | Loftie-Eaton | Namibia | 33 | Associate |
4 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 33 | Full Member |
4 | Finn Allen | New Zealand | 33 | Full Member |
7 | David Miller | South Africa | 35 | Full Member |
7 | Rohit Sharma | India | 35 | Full Member |
The Bigger Picture Beyond The Numbers
Strip away the ranking debate and something simpler remains true. This top order can now finish games before the powerplay has even ended, over after over. Thirty-seven sixes inside the first six overs across a single calendar year outpace what entire opening partnerships manage across full international careers elsewhere in the world.
A series tally of 229 runs at a strike rate above 269, a 14-ball fifty in a separate series, and back-to-back centuries across two different assignments rule out any suggestion of a one-off. Against a full-strength attack, under lights, in a genuine pressure match, this particular Abhishek Sharma India T20I fastest century sits as the hardest-earned entry anywhere near the top of that list.
Should T20I records separate Full Member and Associate performances, or should the list stay exactly as it is? Share your take below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who holds the record for fastest T20I century?
Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan holds the outright record with a 27-ball century from 2024. Among Full Member nations, India’s Abhishek Sharma now leads with a 30-ball hundred this month.
How many balls did Abhishek Sharma take to score his century?
He reached three figures in exactly 30 balls during the innings against Afghanistan. His full 108 came off 34 deliveries at a strike rate of 317.64.
What is the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian batter?
Yuvraj Singh holds that record with a 12-ball fifty against England in 2007. Abhishek Sharma sits second, reaching fifty in 14 balls against New Zealand this year.
Who is Sahil Chauhan and what record does he hold?
Sahil Chauhan is an Indian-origin batter who represents Estonia in international cricket. He holds the outright T20I record for the fastest century, 27 balls, struck against Cyprus in 2024.
How many sixes did Abhishek Sharma hit in his 108?
He struck 11 sixes during his 108 against Afghanistan this September. His own personal best of 13 sixes in a single innings, set last year, still stands.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.