Abhishek Sharma’s Record 108 Powers India to 127-Run Win and 3-0 Whitewash

Abhishek Sharma delivered a record-breaking batting masterclass at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as India defeated Afghanistan by 127 runs in the third T20I to complete a 3-0 series whitewash.

The left-handed opener smashed 108 from just 34 deliveries, reaching his century in only 30 balls. His extraordinary assault powered India to 221/7 before the Indian bowling attack dismantled Afghanistan for 94 in just 14.1 overs.

Abhishek Rewrites the Indian T20I Record Books

Abhishek's 30-ball century became the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter, surpassing Rohit Sharma's previous Indian record of 35 balls, which had stood since 2017.

The knock also made Abhishek the fastest centurion among batters from Full Member nations. Overall, only Estonia's Sahil Chauhan and Turkey's Muhammad Fahad have recorded faster men's T20I centuries, with 27 and 29 balls respectively.

A Century Arrives Before the Ninth Over

Abhishek's acceleration was remarkable. He brought up his half-century from just 16 balls before continuing his assault against Afghanistan's pace and spin options.

Two balls into the eighth over, he reached three figures. The milestone came at 8.3 overs, making it the earliest point at which a batter has reached a T20I century.

Abhishek eventually fell for 108 shortly before the halfway stage of India's innings. His score included nine fours and 11 sixes, giving him a strike rate of 317.65.

India Race to 100 in the Powerplay

India's opening partnership completely changed the complexion of the innings. Abhishek and Sanju Samson attacked from the beginning, taking India to 100 without losing a wicket by the end of the Powerplay.

Abhishek alone had contributed 76 of those 100 runs. Samson also played aggressively, eventually completing a half-century from 35 balls. The pair put together 142 runs before their partnership was broken.

Samson Adds a Valuable Fifty

While Abhishek dominated the headlines, Samson provided important support at the other end. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 50 from 35 deliveries, including two fours and four sixes.

His contribution helped India maintain the pressure after Abhishek's departure, although Afghanistan managed to take regular wickets during the closing stages and prevent India from reaching an even bigger total.

Afghanistan Fight Back at the Death

India were in an extremely strong position at 142/1 after 10 overs, but Afghanistan fought back during the second half of the innings. Tilak Varma was run out for two, while Samson was dismissed shortly after reaching his fifty.

Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube attempted to accelerate again, but wickets continued to fall. India collected 37 runs while losing four wickets during the final five overs and eventually finished at 221/7.

Afghanistan Start Their Chase Quickly

Afghanistan began their pursuit positively, with Ibrahim Zadran helping them score 15 runs from the opening over. After three overs, the hosts had moved to 31 without loss and briefly appeared capable of giving India a competitive chase.

That momentum disappeared once India's spin attack entered the contest.

Axar Patel Starts the Collapse

Axar Patel made the first major breakthrough by removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Five deliveries later, Sediqullah Atal was dismissed after finding Abhishek Sharma in the deep.

Jasprit Bumrah then added further pressure by bowling Darwish Rasooli, leaving Afghanistan's chase in serious trouble. The wickets continued to arrive at regular intervals as India's bowlers took control.

Reddy and Bishnoi Finish the Job

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi were the standout bowlers during the second half of Afghanistan's innings. Reddy finished with 3/25, while Bishnoi claimed 3/26.

Afghanistan slipped to 82/8 before being bowled out for 94 in 14.1 overs. The result gave India a massive 127-run victory and completed the clean sweep.

Afghanistan Suffer Their Biggest T20I Defeat

The 127-run margin became Afghanistan's biggest defeat by runs in men's T20I cricket. Their batting struggled to cope with India's combination of pace and spin after the promising opening three overs.

India's bowling attack had already made significant contributions earlier in the series, but the final match produced their most dominant collective performance of the tour.

Abhishek Named Player of the Match and Series

Abhishek's performance earned him the Player of the Match award, while his consistency throughout the three-match series also saw him named Player of the Series.

He had entered the final match after scoring 82 in the opening T20I and 39 in the second. His record-breaking 108 in Delhi completed an outstanding series with the bat.

India Complete a Perfect Series

India had already taken control of the series with seven-wicket victories in each of the opening two matches. The third game proved even more one-sided, with India's batting and bowling units dominating in both innings.

The 3-0 result gives India a complete series sweep and ends Afghanistan's home series without a victory. The three-match contest was played from September 13 to September 17, with the final match taking place in Delhi.

Match Summary

India scored 221/7 in their 20 overs, led by Abhishek Sharma's extraordinary 108 from 34 balls and Sanju Samson's 50 from 35. Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai claimed two wickets, but India's total remained beyond reach.

Afghanistan were bowled out for 94 in 14.1 overs. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi took three wickets each, while Axar Patel also made an important contribution with the ball. India therefore completed a 127-run victory and a 3-0 T20I series whitewash.