Abhishek Sharma Shatters Kohli’s T20 Record With Blistering 35-Ball Century

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma scripted cricket history with a blistering 35-ball century against New Zealand at the Henry Stadium. Abhishek breaks the record of Kohli to stand alone at the pinnacle of Indian T20 cricket.

By bludgeoning a magnificent 113 off just 38 deliveries, Abhishek becomes the leading century-maker for India in T20 history. The young southpaw has now amassed an incredible 11 centuries in the T20 format, comfortably surpassing the iconic Virat Kohli’s tally of 10 hundreds. 

In doing so, Abhishek has also catapulted himself to third on the all-time global list, trailing only West Indian legend Chris Gayle (22) and Pakistan’s Babar Azam (13).

The Wellington Blitzkrieg

Chasing a target of 199 set by the Black Caps in the third T20I, India looked entirely unfazed under Abhishek’s leadership at the top order. Alongside 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek orchestrated a catastrophic assault on the New Zealand bowling unit. The duo smashed a world-record 118 runs without loss inside the 6-over Powerplay, completely breaking the spirit of the hosts.

Abhishek reached his half-century in just 14 deliveries and maintained his merciless trajectory to complete his century in 35 balls. Before his departure in the eighth over, his explosive knock featured 9 boundaries and a 11 sixes. 

Driven by this historic display, India chased the target in just 13.2 overs to seal an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Most Centuries in T20 Cricket History 

Player	Team / Era	Total T20 Centuries
Chris Gayle	West Indies / Multiple	22
Babar Azam	Pakistan / Peshawar Zalmi	13
Abhishek Sharma	India / Sunrisers Hyderabad	11
Virat Kohli	India / Royal Challengers Bengaluru	10

Rewriting the Indian Record Books

This milestone marks the continuation of an extraordinary calendar year for Abhishek Sharma, who has routinely dismantled bowling attacks on both the domestic and international stages. 

Just weeks prior, in September 2026, he shattered the record for the fastest T20I century by a batter from a Full Member nation by completing a breathtaking 30-ball hundred against Afghanistan in Delhi.

Currently, three of the four fastest T20I hundreds scored by an Indian batsman belong to Abhishek. His 37-ball hundred against England in early 2025, combined with his recent masterclasses against Afghanistan and New Zealand, solidifies his status as the most destructive top-order asset in world cricket today.

Fastest T20I Centuries by Indian Batsmen

Batter	Balls Taken	Opponent	Venue	Year
Abhishek Sharma	30	Afghanistan	Delhi	2026
Abhishek Sharma	35	New Zealand	Wellington	2026
Rohit Sharma	35	Sri Lanka	Indore	2017
Abhishek Sharma	37	England	Mumbai	2025

A New Era of T20 Excellence

What makes Abhishek’s ascent unique is the sheer velocity of his accumulation. While stalwarts like Virat Kohli compiled their records over more than 400 T20 matches, Abhishek has claimed the throne in a fraction of that time, showing a strike rate that regularly hovers near the 200 mark. 

As Indian cricket transitions into a new chapter of fearless, high-tempo T20 tactics, Abhishek Sharma stands tall as its torchbearer, turning milestones into a routine affair.