Abhishek Sharma smashed a record-breaking 30-ball century to power India to a 127-run win and 3-0 T20I series sweep over Afghanistan. After his historic knock, he revealed Yuvraj Singh’s crucial text helped him stay grounded and build his innings.
Team India opener Abhishek Sharma lit up Arun Jaitley Stadium with his blistering, record-breaking performance in the Men in Blue’s 127-run win over Afghanistan in the third and final T20I in New Delhi on Thursday, September 17.
Abhishek Sharma played a blazing knock of 108 off 30 balls, including 11 sixes and 9 fours, at an astonishing strike rate of 360.00, shattering multiple records to power India to a massive total of 221/7. The explosive batter dismantled Afghanistan’s bowling attack to reach the three-figure mark in just 30 balls, making him the fastest Indian batter to score a century in T20Is.
Eventually, Team India bowlers swept through the opposition lineup, bundling them out for a mere 94 runs in 14.1 overs to complete a dominant 3-0 series sweep in the national capital. Abhishek’s performance stole the spotlight not just for his sheer power but also for the incredible mind behind it, Yuvraj Singh.
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Abhishek Reveals Text from Yuvraj
As Abhishek Sharma etched his name further in the history books for his blistering performance that left the Delhi crowd in awe, the young opener revealed post-match that a crucial piece of advice from his mentor played a major role in keeping him grounded during his record-shattering knock.
Speaking to the broadcasters after India’s series win, Abhishek revealed that Yuvraj Singh advised him to bide his time in the middle, forcing every delivery, and look to rotate the strike with smart singles when the ball is not in his immediate hitting range.
“And in the last match, I only got a text from him that I shouldn’t be forcing all the balls. Specifically in these conditions, if I just take one or two singles in between, it’s not, you know, in my slot. I can take a single as well,” the 26-year-old said.
“But obviously, sir always wants me to play long, and I always have it in my mind that if I give the team such a start, obviously, when we are on the winning side, that is always in my mind,” he added.
Yuvraj Singh has been Abhishek Sharma’s personal coach and mentor for years, playing an instrumental role in shaping the left-hander’s aggressive approach and adaptable batting style, with the legendary World Cup-winner constantly guiding him through the ups and downs of international cricket.
How Did Abhishek Sharma Perform Throughout the Series?
Before the Afghanistan T20Is, Abhishek Sharma’s form was under scrutiny because of his inconsistent performances in the series against Ireland, England, and Zimbabwe, where he managed scores of 49 and 0 against Ireland, 59, 43, 10, 16, and 3 against England, and just 1, 8, and 2 against Zimbabwe.
Aggregating just 191 runs at an average of 19.10 in 10 innings, the southpaw’s place in India’s playing XI was questioned. However, Abhishek Sharma responded to the critics with his aggressive showing in the recently concluded T20I series against Afghanistan. In the opening match, he scored 82 off 42 balls, followed by 39 off 19 in the second T20I.
In the series finale, Abhishek Sharma continued his stunning run, smashing 108 off 34 balls to complete a record-breaking three-match series. In three innings, Abhishek aggregated 229 runs at an average of 76.33 and a strike rate of 269.41.
Abhishek Sharma will travel with the India squad for the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Japan, where the Men in Blue will defend the Gold medal which they won in the 2023 edition of the event.
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