Abhishek Sharma struck a 35-ball century as India defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the third T20 International in Wellington on Tuesday. The result gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, with two games still remaining.
Chasing New Zealand’s target of 199, India reached the winning total in just 13.2 overs. Abhishek finished with 113 runs from 38 deliveries, giving the visitors a commanding finish to the run chase.
The left-handed opener’s latest hundred is his second-fastest in T20 Internationals. His quickest came against Afghanistan in Delhi in 2026, when he reached three figures from 30 balls. That innings remains the fastest T20I century by a player representing a Full Member nation.
Abhishek joins Rohit and Miller
With the 35-ball effort against New Zealand, Abhishek joined India’s Rohit Sharma and South Africa’s David Miller on the same mark. Rohit reached a T20I century in 35 balls against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017, while Miller achieved the feat against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom in the same year.
Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and New Zealand’s Finn Allen are placed second on the list of fastest T20I hundreds by Full Member players, having completed their centuries in 33 balls. Raza reached the milestone against Gambia in Nairobi’s Ruaraka venue in 2024, while Allen scored his 33-ball hundred against South Africa in Kolkata in 2026.
Fastest T20I hundreds by Full Member players
- 30 balls: Abhishek Sharma (India) vs Afghanistan, Delhi, 2026
- 33 balls: Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) vs Gambia, Nairobi (Ruaraka), 2024
- 33 balls: Finn Allen (New Zealand) vs South Africa, Kolkata, 2026
- 35 balls: David Miller (South Africa) vs Bangladesh, Potchefstroom, 2017
- 35 balls: Rohit Sharma (India) vs Sri Lanka, Indore, 2017
- 35 balls: Abhishek Sharma (India) vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2026
Abhishek’s innings contained 11 sixes and nine fours. His aggressive batting ensured that India completed the chase with 40 deliveries remaining.
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