Abhishek Sharma’s record-breaking 108 powered India to a 127-run victory over Afghanistan in Delhi on Thursday, September 17, completing a 3-0 sweep in the three-match T20I series.
India posted 221 for 7 after Abhishek reached his century from 30 balls and finished with 108 from 34 deliveries. Afghanistan were then bowled out for 94, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi taking three wickets each.
Abhishek struck 11 sixes and nine fours, scoring every run of his hundred through boundaries. His 30-ball century was the fastest T20I hundred against a Full-member team and the third-fastest in men’s T20I cricket overall. He also became the first player to record multiple T20I hundreds from 30 balls or fewer and from 40 balls or fewer.
The opening partnership gave India a record start. Abhishek and Sanju Samson added 100 runs during the first six overs, India’s highest powerplay total in a T20I. Samson provided the steady support before accelerating to 50 from 26 balls, his second consecutive half-century in the series.
Abhishek breaks loose
Abhishek moved to 50 from 16 balls after attacking Afghanistan’s seamers and spinners across the ground. He repeatedly punished overpitched deliveries from Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai, while Mohammad Nabi conceded four sixes in the fifth over as India reached 100.
Rashid Khan was introduced during the powerplay but could not contain the left-hander, who charged at the leg-spinner and cleared the straight boundary. Abhishek completed his hundred in the ninth over, only the second-fastest century in men’s international cricket, before celebrating in a meditation pose associated with his mentor Yuvraj Singh.
Rashid eventually dismissed him with a wrong’un. The Afghanistan captain then ran out Tilak Varma from his own bowling and held a catch at long-off to remove Samson. India were 164 for 2 after 13 overs, but Afghanistan’s bowlers improved sharply at the death, conceding only 37 runs in the final five overs as reverse swing became a factor.
Afghanistan collapse under pressure
Afghanistan, who had posted totals in the 150s while batting first in the opening two matches, struggled against India’s attack. Axar Patel removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal in the fourth over, while Jasprit Bumrah bowled Darwish Rasooli with a 143kph yorker.
Ibrahim Zadran top-scored with 25 before giving Yash Thakur his first wicket of the match. Reddy then struck three times in one over, dismissing Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman before Azmatullah Omarzai was caught in the deep.
Reddy finished with three for 25 and six wickets in the series, the most by any bowler. Bishnoi also claimed three for 26 as Afghanistan were dismissed for 94, sealing India’s clean sweep in Delhi.
