Indian opening batter Abhishek Sharma made cricket history at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, September 17, 2026, by smashing the fastest century by a Test-playing nation batter in T20 International history. Facing Afghanistan in the third and final T20I of the series, the swashbuckling left-hander reached his triple-digit milestone in just 30 balls, breaking Rohit Sharma’s long-standing Indian record of 35 balls set against Sri Lanka in 2017. Abhishek’s breathtaking assault also powered India to 100 runs without loss in the six-over Powerplay—their highest-ever Powerplay score in T20Is—with Abhishek himself bludgeoning 76 runs off just 22 balls in the opening phase. For global cricket enthusiasts, sports media managers, and tactical analysts tracking modern white-ball records, this performance sets a brand-new benchmark in power-hitting. This comprehensive article breaks down the match highlights, key statistics, and viewing options via Sports Live Hub (SLH).

Details about Abhishek Breaks Rohit’s Record! India Star Smashes 30-Ball T20I Ton vs Afghanistan

From the opening over, Abhishek Sharma made his intentions clear after Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran won the toss and opted to field. Opening alongside Sanju Samson, Abhishek launched an immediate assault against Afghanistan’s pace attack before taking on their world-class spin core.

The left-handed opener reached his half-century in just 16 deliveries before elevating his scoring rate further. During the fifth over, he hammered 29 runs against the opposition, showing no hesitation against star leg-spinner Rashid Khan or Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Abhishek brought up his century in the ninth over off 30 balls, launching a six to reach 99 before taking a single to complete the record-breaking feat. Upon reaching his hundred, he sat on the pitch in a meditation pose, replicating the famous celebration of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Abhishek’s 30-ball century surpassed Rohit Sharma’s national record of 35 balls and established a new global record for ICC Full-Member (Test-playing) nations, eclipsing the 33-ball centuries previously held by Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and New Zealand’s Finn Allen. In overall T20I history, it ranks as the third-fastest century, behind Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad (29 balls).

Abhishek was eventually dismissed in the tenth over for 108 off 34 balls—including 9 fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 317.64—when he edged a Rashid Khan delivery to wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz. By the time he departed, India sat on 142/1 in 9.5 overs, completely commanding the series finale.

The Ultimate Sports Live Hub Streaming on SLH

Following fast-paced international T20 cricket and tracking live record-breaking performances across global tours can be difficult due to regional broadcasting agreements and geo-blocking restrictions. Sports Live Hub (SLH) provides a centralized digital portal designed to eliminate viewing friction, keeping cricket fans connected to major international sporting moments without technical interruptions.

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Locating stable, high-definition broadcast links for high-demand bilateral series like India vs Afghanistan can be challenging during peak match hours. The hub sports live stream ecosystem on SLH actively indexes verified, low-latency viewing directories from officially authorized global distribution networks. This enables fans to bypass broken feeds and stream live cricket seamlessly across smart televisions, tablets, or mobile devices in high definition.

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Modern cricket followers and data-driven sports analysts require comprehensive contextual data alongside live video feeds to evaluate explosive power-hitting. The sport hub live streaming module embeds real-time match statistics directly into your primary viewing screen. While watching batters like Abhishek Sharma clear the boundary ropes, users gain immediate access to ball-by-ball speed tracking, live wagon wheels, pitch map overlays, and phase-by-phase run rate charts to analyze tactical bowling responses in real time.

How to watch Sports live for free

Identifying safe and legally compliant pathways regarding how to watch Sports live for free online remains a top priority for global audiences wanting to avoid cybersecurity threats or intrusive pop-up ads. SLH addresses this by maintaining a curated, legal index of official Free-to-Air (FTA) regional broadcast networks—such as DD Sports in India—and authorized digital platform previews. By redirecting users strictly to compliant broadcast portals, SLH guarantees a safe, high-quality, and budget-friendly matchday experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How many balls did Abhishek Sharma take to score his century against Afghanistan?

Abhishek Sharma reached his T20I century in just 30 balls, setting the record for the fastest hundred by a batter from a Test-playing nation.

2. Whose Indian record did Abhishek Sharma break with his 30-ball century?

He broke former captain Rohit Sharma’s Indian record of a 35-ball century, which was set against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.

3. What was Abhishek Sharma’s final score in the 3rd T20I?

Abhishek scored 108 runs off 34 balls, hitting 9 fours and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 317.64 before being dismissed by Rashid Khan.

4. Where does Abhishek’s century rank in overall T20I history?

It is the third-fastest century in all-time T20I history, trailing only Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan (27 balls) and Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad (29 balls).

5. How can fans stream future T20I matches using SLH?

Cricket fans can utilize Sports Live Hub (SLH) to locate verified international broadcast channels, track real-time match analytics, and access safe Free-to-Air viewing directories globally.