New Delhi: Abhishek Sharma’s magnificent, record-breaking 30-ball century spearheaded India’s dominant 127-run victory over Afghanistan, as India clinched a 3-0 series sweep in the third and final T20I of the three-match series on Thursday, 17 September, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Abhishek Sharma demolished the Afghanistan bowling attack, unleashing a blistering, record-breaking 108 off just 34 balls, with excellent support from Sanju Samson’s fluent 50 off 35 balls, as a devastating batting display propelled India to a massive 221/7 after Afghanistan opted to field first.
While defending the target, India produced a superb and clinical bowling performance, led by the outstanding Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi, who shared an impressive six wickets between them with three wickets apiece, as Afghanistan were bowled out for just 94 in 14.1 overs, completing India’s dominant 3-0 sweep in the Friendship Cup 2026 series.
The final match of the series began with Afghanistan winning the toss and electing to bowl first, while India made one change to their playing XI, with Yash Thakur coming into the side in place of Arshdeep Singh.
Opening the innings, Abhishek Sharma launched a breathtaking assault on the Afghanistan bowling attack, dismantling the bowlers in devastating fashion by smashing boundaries all around the ground.
He reached his stunning half-century in just 16 balls as India raced to 50 in only 3.3 overs, before reaching a quick 100 without losing a wicket by the end of the powerplay. The left-hander continued his tremendous assault and brought up a magnificent, record-breaking century in just 30 balls, smashing the fastest century by an Indian in men’s T20Is. He reached the milestone in just 30 balls, breaking Rohit Sharma’s previous record for the fastest T20I century, which he scored off 35 balls against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017. Abhishek also became the fastest batter from a Full Member nation to score a T20I century. Sikandar Raza and Finn Allen had jointly held the previous record, with both reaching their hundreds in 33 balls. Abhishek also broke the record for the fastest T20I century against a Full Member team. The previous record was held by Finn Allen, who had scored a 33-ball century against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final. Abhishek also created a new record for the most runs by a batter in the first six overs of a men’s T20I. He smashed 76 runs off just 22 balls during the powerplay, breaking the previous record held by Portugal’s Kuldeep Gholiya, who had scored 74 off 25 balls against Malta in 2023. He brought up his fifty off just 16 balls against Afghanistan, marking the sixth time he had reached a T20I fifty in 20 balls or fewer. The century was Abhishek’s third in international T20s (T20Is) and his 10th in T20 cricket. With this achievement, he equalled India great Virat Kohli’s tally of 10 T20 centuries. Abhishek now needs just one more century to become India’s most prolific century-maker in the shortest format. Abhishek smashed 11 sixes during his explosive 108-run knock. His sixes tally for the series reached 22, taking him level with his own record for the most sixes by an Indian batter in a T20I series. He had previously hit 22 sixes during India’s T20I series against England in 2025. He took just 14 deliveries to convert his fifty into a century. He also found perfect support from Sanju Samson, as the pair stitched together a stunning 142-run opening partnership off just 59 balls. Abhishek’s breathtaking innings eventually came to an end when Rashid Khan dismissed him in the 10th over after an electrifying 108 off 34 balls, featuring nine fours and 11 sixes at a blistering strike rate of 317.65. India were 142/1, with Abhishek having already done immense damage and put India firmly in a commanding position.
Following the dismissal, Tilak Varma came in at number three but was soon run out after scoring 2 off 5 balls. Sanju Samson, meanwhile, completed a well-made half-century, scoring 50 off 35 balls, including two fours and four sixes, before eventually being dismissed. India then lost another wicket as Shivam Dube departed for 14 off 10 balls. Shreyas Iyer played a composed knock, keeping the scoreboard ticking with a valuable 29 off 20 balls, including two sixes. Ishan Kishan, who scored 10 off 8 balls, also fell to a run-out, while Nitish Reddy was dismissed by Abdullah after managing just 1 off 4 balls. Afghanistan managed to find some momentum as they fought back by picking up a few crucial wickets. India scored just 37 runs in the final five overs, as Afghanistan managed to restrict India further and prevent the total from becoming even more mammoth. But still, India posted a massive 221/7 after 20 overs. Omarzai was Afghanistan’s most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 2/27, while Rashid Khan and Abdollah Ahmadzai picked up one wicket each.
While chasing the massive target of 222, Afghanistan got off to a decent start as their openers stitched together a 31-run partnership off just 19 balls, giving them hopes of building a strong platform for the chase. However, Axar Patel came into action and made an immediate impact in the fourth over. He struck with the very first ball, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 15 off 11 balls with a well-executed delivery, before striking again on the final ball of the over to remove Sediqullah Atal for 1 off 3.
Afghanistan then suffered another setback as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Darwish Rasooli for a duck. Captain Ibrahim Zadran tried to offer some resistance, scoring a quick 25 off 16 balls, the highest score of Afghanistan’s innings, before Yash Thakur ended his stay at the crease. Afghanistan were in trouble, reeling at 47/4 inside the powerplay.
Azmatullah Omarzai and Noor-ul-Haq briefly tried to rebuild the innings, adding 23 runs off 21 balls for the fifth wicket before Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Noor-ul-Haq for 11 off 15 balls. Nitish Kumar Reddy came into the attack in the 12th over and delivered a stunning spell, claiming three wickets in the over. He first removed Mohammad Nabi (8 off 9), then dismissed Omarzai (17 off 13), before completing his three-wicket haul by removing Mujeeb Ur Rahman for a duck. Bishnoi also completed his three-wicket haul by dismissing Rashid Khan (6 off 5) before taking the final wicket of Abdollah Ahmadzai (6 off 8). India bowled Afghanistan out for just 94 in 14.1 overs, registering a commanding 127-run victory. With the clean sweep, India registered their second consecutive series win under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy.
Abhishek Sharma was deservedly named Player of the Match after his record-breaking century. He also finished as the leading run-scorer of the three-match series, scoring a stunning 229 runs at an extraordinary strike rate of 269.41, and was deservedly named Player of the Series.
