Photo via Hindustan Times

Abhishek’s zen mode destroys Afghanistan

Abhishek Sharma hammered the quickest hundred recorded by a cricketer from a Test nation, achieving the milestone off only 30 deliveries as India secured a 3-0 series whitewash with a 127-run victory over Afghanistan. The Punjab left-hander reached fifty in just 17 balls within the fourth over, marking his sixth sub-20-ball fifty in the format, before surpassing Rohit Sharma's prior 35-ball benchmark.

India piled up 100 runs during the initial six overs, aided by a 29-run fifth over bowled by Mohammad Nabi that leaked four sixes and a boundary, as Abhishek struck at over 340 to reach 76 from 22 balls by the end of the field restrictions.

Opening alongside Sanju Samson, Abhishek contributed 108 runs to their 142-run first-wicket stand before edging a googly from Rashid Khan to wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Samson subsequently compiled a 34-ball half-century, while the remaining Indian batters struggled to maintain that pace.

Celebrating his landmark century with a cross-legged meditative pose reminiscent of Erling Haaland, Abhishek previously came close to Yuvraj Singh's fastest T20I half-century mark against both England in Mumbai and New Zealand in Guwahati.