Abhishek Sharma equals gigantic record; eliminates competitors from Indian opening slot
Published - 05 Dec 2024, 12:29 PM | Updated - 05 Dec 2024, 11:34 PM
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Punjab opening batter Abhishek Sharma has etched his name in the record books with an explosive century against Meghalaya in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Abhishek Sharma equaled the record for the fastest century by an Indian batter in the T20 format during the final group-stage match of the league.
Abhishek ended his poor form in the tournament with his record-breaking knock. The southpaw had scored only 149 runs in six innings, including just one half-century, before the match on Thursday. Notably, Gujarat batter Urvil Patel set the record by scoring a 28-ball century against Tripura in the SMAT 2024.
Abhishek Sharma Smashes His Fourth Century in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Abhishek Sharma hit his fourth century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He set the record for the most T20 centuries in the tournament's history. He scored an unbeaten 106 runs off 29 balls, including 8 fours and 11 sixes. Punjab completed the 143-run chase in just 9.3 overs with seven wickets remaining.
Before this year, Rishabh Pant held the record for the fastest century in India's domestic T20 competition, having scored a 32-ball century against Himachal Pradesh in 2018. Estonia's Sahil Chauhan, who scored a 27-ball century against Cyprus, holds the record for the fastest hundred in the T20 format.
Fastest Centuries in T20 Cricket
| Balls | Player | Match Details | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Sahil Chauhan | Estonia v Cyprus | 2024 |
| 28 | Abhishek Sharma | Punjab v Meghalaya | 2024 |
| 28 | Urvil Patel | Gujarat v Tripura | 2024 |
| 30 | Chris Gayle | Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors | 2013 |
| 32 | Rishabh Pant | Delhi v Himachal Pradesh | 2018 |
Fastest 140+ Successful Run Chases in T20s
| Overs | Team | Location | Year | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.3 | Punjab vs Meghalaya | Rajkot | 2024 | 143 |
| 9.4 | SRH vs LSG | Hyderabad | 2024 | 166 |
| 9.4 | Australia vs Scotland | Edinburgh | 2024 | 155 |
| 9.5 | Colts CC vs Bloomfield | Panagoda | 2015 | 140 |
Abhishek Sharma Breaks Suryakumar Yadav's Record for Most T20 Sixes in a Calendar Year
Abhishek Sharma also surpassed Team India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav's record for the most T20 sixes by an Indian in a calendar year. Suryakumar hit 85 sixes in 41 innings in 2022, and Abhishek surpassed this feat with 86 sixes in just 38 innings this year.
Most T20 Sixes by an Indian in a Calendar Year
| Sixes (Innings) | Player | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 87* (38) | Abhishek Sharma | 2024 |
| 85 (41) | Suryakumar Yadav | 2022 |
| 71 (33) | Suryakumar Yadav | 2023 |
| 66 (31) | Rishabh Pant | 2018 |
| 63 (42) | Shreyas Iyer | 2019 |
| 60 (32) | Sanju Samson | 2024 |
Sharma has a T20I strike rate of over 171 for India. He has already scored a century and a half-century in T20Is. In IPL 2024, he scored the fastest fifty for Sunrisers Hyderabad, reaching it in just 16 balls against Mumbai Indians. He ended the season with 484 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 204.21.
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