Abhishek Sharma's Record 30-Ball Century Powers India to 3-0 Sweep Over Afghanistan

India completed a clean 3-0 sweep of their T20I series against Afghanistan on Thursday night in New Delhi, with opener Abhishek Sharma producing one of the most destructive innings in the format's history to put the result beyond doubt inside the first half of the match.

A century for the record books

Batting at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Sharma reached his fifty off just 16 balls before continuing to accelerate, taking particular toll of Mohammad Nabi's bowling with three sixes in a single over. He brought up his century off 30 balls, finishing his innings studded with nine fours and ten sixes. The knock is now recognised as the fastest T20I century ever scored by an Indian batter, surpassing the previous national benchmark, and the fastest by a batter representing any of the ICC's full-member nations, eclipsing the 35-ball mark jointly held by Rohit Sharma, against Sri Lanka in 2017, and South Africa's David Miller, against Bangladesh the same year. Only two faster centuries have ever been recorded in T20I history, both by associate-nation batters: a 27-ball hundred for Estonia against Cyprus and a 29-ball innings for Turkey against Bulgaria, meaning Sharma's effort stands as the fastest ever scored against a Test-playing opponent.

India's total proves unreachable

Sharma's assault helped India post 221 for 7 in their 20 overs, a total that Afghanistan's bowling attack, including frontline spinners Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi alongside pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, had no answer for once the left-hander got going. In reply, Afghanistan's batting lineup collapsed under the weight of the target, being bowled out for just 94 in 14.1 overs, handing India a 127-run victory and sealing the whitewash.

A series India controlled from the start

Thursday's result extended a dominant series for the hosts. India had already wrapped up the series 2-0 heading into the dead rubber, with Sharma playing a starring role throughout. In the series opener, also at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, he struck 82 off 32 balls to help India chase down a target of 157 with seven wickets in hand, forming a key partnership with Ishan Kishan along the way. In the second match, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson top-scored with 57 off 21 balls, his best score since the T20 World Cup, while Sharma added a quickfire 39 off 19 as India completed the chase in just 14.5 overs to seal the series with a match still to play.

With the series now finished 3-0, Sharma's form at the top of the order will be viewed as one of the standout individual storylines of India's white-ball cricket this year, adding further weight to selection conversations ahead of the team's busier international calendar later in the year. The Afghanistan tour now moves on from Delhi, with focus shifting to India's next assignments on the international calendar.

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