Punjab Opener Abhishek Sharma equals fastest Indian T20 hundred in 28 balls
Punjab opener Abhishek Sharma made headlines by scoring a blistering 28-ball century against Meghalaya in the final group-stage round of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, equaling the record for the fastest century by an Indian. This remarkable feat marked Abhishek’s fourth SMAT hundred, achieved in just 48 balls, making him the highest century scorer in the tournament’s history.
His explosive innings came during a 143-run chase, where he hit 11 sixes, propelling Punjab to victory in just 9.3 overs with seven wickets to spare. Abhishek’s century matched Gujarat opener Urvil Patel’s recent 28-ball ton against Tripura, placing them both second on the all-time list behind Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball century for Estonia earlier this year.
In addition to his century, Abhishek set a new record for the most T20 sixes by an Indian in a calendar year, surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s previous record of 85 sixes in 2022. With this performance, Abhishek’s tally now stands at 86 sixes in just 38 innings this year, solidifying his status as one of the most explosive hitters in domestic T20 cricket.
Fastest T20 hundreds
- 27 balls – Sahil Chauhan – Estonia v Cyprus, 2024
- 28 balls – Abhisek Sharma – Punjab v Meghalaya, 2024
- 28 balls – URVIL PATEL – Gujarat v Tripura, 2024
- 30 balls – Chris Gayle – Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors, 2013
- 32 balls – Rishabh Pant – Delhi v Himachal Pradesh, 2018