New Delhi, Oct 27: Abhishek Sharma unleashed his destructive best against New Zealand, smashing a breathtaking century off just 35 balls and powering India to a record-breaking start in their T20I contest. Opening the batting alongside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in a chase of 199, the left-handed duo tore into the Kiwi bowling attack, scoring 118 runs in the first six overs to register the highest powerplay total among Full Member nations in men's T20I cricket.
After managing two sub-30 scores earlier in the series, Abhishek spectacularly returned to form. He brought up his fourth T20I century and second hundred of the calendar year, showcasing his extraordinary hitting ability. The southpaw eventually departed for 113 off 38 balls, smashing nine fours
and 11 sixes.
Abhishek's 35-ball century against New Zealand places him among the fastest centurions in men's T20I history. He joins David Miller, Rohit Sharma and Sudesh Wickramasekara, who also reached the landmark in 35 deliveries.
Estonia's Sahil Chauhan holds the record for the fastest T20I century, reaching three figures in just 27 balls against Cyprus in June 2024. Turkey's Muhammad Fahad follows with a 29-ball hundred against Bulgaria in July 2025, while Abhishek's reported 30-ball century against Afghanistan in September 2026 ranks third on the supplied list.
Other notable entries include Namibia's Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza and New Zealand's Finn Allen, who all scored 33-ball centuries.
Abhishek Sets Records from the First Over
India collected 26 runs in the opening over, equalling the record for the most expensive first over in a men's T20I innings. Malta's Varun Thamotharam had previously conceded the same number against Gibraltar in May 2023. Among Full Member teams, Kemar Roach had conceded 24 runs against Australia in Sydney in 2010.
Abhishek also leads the list of batters who have hit the first ball they faced for six most often in men's T20Is, with eight such instances. Afghanistan's Shafiqullah Shinwari follows with six, while Suryakumar Yadav has done so five times.
Fastest Tons In T20I
Here is the fastest ton in a T20I by players
| Rank | Balls | Player | Team | Opponent | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Sahil Chauhan | Estonia | Cyprus | Episkopi | 17 June 2024 |
| 2 | 29 | Muhammad Fahad | Turkey | Bulgaria | Sofia | 12 July 2025 |
| 3 | 30 | Abhishek Sharma | India | Afghanistan | Delhi | 17 September 2026 |
| 4= | 33 | Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | Namibia | Nepal | Kirtipur | 27 February 2024 |
| 4= | 33 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | Gambia | Nairobi | 23 October 2024 |
| 4= | 33 | Finn Allen | New Zealand | South Africa | Kolkata | 4 March 2026 |
| 7 | 34 | Kushal Malla | Nepal | Mongolia | Hangzhou | 27 September 2023 |
| 8= | 35 | David Miller | South Africa | Bangladesh | Potchefstroom | 29 October 2017 |
| 8= | 35 | Rohit Sharma | India | Sri Lanka | Indore | 22 December 2017 |
| 8= | 35 | Sudesh Wickramasekara | Czech Republic | Turkey | Ilfov County | 30 August 2019 |
| 8= | 35 | Abhishek Sharma | India | New Zealand | Wellington | 27 October 2026 |
India Take Control of the Chase
India raced to 178/2 at the halfway stage, leaving only 21 runs to get from the remaining 10 overs. Abhishek's explosive innings and the record-breaking powerplay had put India firmly in control, underlining his ability to change a T20I contest within a matter of overs.
