Abhishek Sharma shattered the record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian batsman on September 17, 2026, slamming a 30-ball hundred against Afghanistan.
The evolution of T20 international cricket has fundamentally rewritten how teams approach batting templates. Modern white-ball matches feature flatter surfaces, larger bats, and increasingly powerful athletes under constant scoring pressure. While India captured the inaugural T20 World Cup crown, the squad historically took considerable time to fully embrace aggressive modern tactics. Once national selectors and batters pivoted toward offensive freedom, however, records began falling rapidly across the format. The modernisation of the white-ball game, expedited by T20 cricket, has been such that batting records are now always under threat because of the pitches getting flatter, bats getting bigger, and batsmen getting stronger. The record for the fastest century in men’s T20I cricket belongs to Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, who cracked a 27-ball ton against Cyprus in June 2024.
Abhishek Sharma Claims the Fastest Indian T20I Century
The benchmark for rapid scoring among Indian batsmen now belongs to left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma. During the third T20I fixture against Afghanistan on September 17, 2026, Sharma launched an aggressive assault right from the first ball. Opening the innings, he went after the bowlers right from the start, and hit them all over the park. He reached his century in just 30 deliveries, dismantling opposing bowling attacks all over the venue. Sharma concluded his innings with 108 runs from 34 balls, sustaining a staggering strike rate above 317 while recording nine fours and 11 sixes during his stay at the crease.
This performance surpasses a sequence of exceptionally fast international centuries achieved by Indian players over recent seasons. The milestone also sits behind only Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan globally, who set the overall men’s T20I record with a 27-ball century against Cyprus in June 2024.
Tracing the Evolution of India’s Fastest T20I Hundreds
India’s list of fastest T20I centuries is crowded with aggressive performances delivered against top-tier bowling attacks over recent years. Abhishek Sharma occupies multiple spots on the leaderboard, having previously struck a 37-ball century against England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in February 2025. Left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma holds the record for the third-fastest T20I century for India with a 37-ball hundred that he cracked against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in February 2025. Sharma first walloped the England pacers Archer, Wood, and Overton before tonking spinners Livingstone and Adil Rashid. He raced to a 17-ball fifty and then notched up his three-figure score in 37 balls.
Rohit Sharma (35 balls): Former captain Rohit Sharma holds the record for the second fastest T20I century by an Indian. He smashed a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore. Batting first, Rohit and Rahul put up a giant partnership of 165 runs in 12.4 overs. In this, Sharma walloped 12 fours and 10 sixes to end up with 118 (43). His knock helped India to register their highest T20I team total – 260. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 172 runs during the chase. Rohit’s 35-ball century is the joint-fastest T20I ton by a batsman from a Full Member nation. South Africa’s David Miller also has a 35-ball hundred in T20Is.
Sanju Samson (40 balls): On 12th October, 2024, India’s Sanju Samson smashed his maiden century in T20 internationals. He blew away Bangladesh bowlers to smash a 40-ball ton, which is the fourth-fastest ton by an Indian batter in T20 internationals. Overall, it is the 10th fastest century in T20I cricket.
Tilak Varma (41 balls): On 15th November, 2024, left-handed batter Tilak Varma followed up his maiden T20I hundred with another to register his second T20I hundred. He scored this century off 41 deliveries against South Africa at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium. Tilak finished his innings at 120* off 47 deliveries. His innings included nine fours and 10 sixes.