In a dazzling display of power-hitting and precision, Punjab’s Abhishek Sharma has rewritten the record books during the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, creating a stir in the world of T20 cricket. On Thursday, the 24-year-old southpaw etched his name in history by equaling the record for the fastest T20 century by an Indian, scoring an explosive 106 runs off just 29 balls against Meghalaya in Rajkot.
A blistering knock from Abhishek helped Punjab to chase a modest target of 143 runs in mere 9.3 overs in which it achieved the target with quite ease. Century, which came in merely 28 balls equated the record for the fastest T20 century by any Indian which was equated by Gujarat’s Urvil Patel a few days back in the same tournament.
Abhishek played a perfect aggressive innings with 11 towering sixes and 6 fours, which showed the unmatched flair and power of the batsman. His strike rate had been a record-breaking record of 365.52, the highest strike rate in a T20 century, surpassing the Sahil Chauhan records from Estonia and Urvil Patel from India who were previously holding this position.
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Abhishek Sharma Breaking Multiple Records
Abhishek Sharma’s incredible feat did not end at just equalling the fastest century record. His 106-run innings came with a string of other groundbreaking achievements:
1. Fastest T20 Century by an Indian (28 Balls): With Urvil Patel, Abhishek equaled the record for the fastest T20 century by an Indian, both scoring in 28 balls. The world record for the fastest T20 century is still at 27 balls and is held by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan who achieved this feat in a match against Cyprus earlier this year.
2. Maximum Sixes Hit by an Asian in a Year: Abhishek’s sheer hitting prowess struck 87 sixes within the 2024 calendar year. This made Abhishek the Asian batter with the most sixes hitting in a year. Earlier, the record was by Suryakumar Yadav, who had scored 85 sixes back in the year 2022.
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3. Most T20 Sixes in a Calendar Year: In 2024, Abhishek has also achieved the record for the most sixes in a T20 calendar year, with 87 sixes to his name. This once again surpasses Suryakumar Yadav’s tally of 85 sixes in 2022, and Abhishek now stands out as one of the top power-hitters in world cricket.
4. Highest Strike Rate in a T20 Century: Abhishek’s strike rate of 365.52, during his century against Meghalaya, has become the new benchmark for the highest strike rate in a T20 century, overtaking the previous record of 351.21 held by Sahil Chauhan.
5. Most Centuries in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Abhishek Sharma’s century was his fourth in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He is now the man with the most T20 centuries in the competition, surpassing many big players, including Unmukt Chand, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, and Ruturaj Gaikwad of whom have three each.
Abhishek Sharma A Future Star of Indian Cricket
Abhishek Sharma could be an exciting find since he achieved a record when he was just 24 years old in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His aggressive approach to batting, the quality of quick scoring, and consistency in his batting set him up as one of the brightest young prospects around in Indian cricket. He has been a key player in Punjab’s success in the domestic circuit and with such performances will surely be eyed for future honors including IPL and international call-ups.
Not only does Abhishek stand at the pinnacle of dominance over T20 cricket but the feat has also stamped this as one of his landmark moments. His record-breaking innings portrayed the talent and ability to turn a match on its head and became one of the most destructive and dangerous players in that format.
As the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy progresses, Abhishek Sharma’s name will undoubtedly continue to be one to watch, with his penchant for rewriting the record books and his fearless brand of cricket. His performance against Meghalaya, marked by a record-breaking century, is just the beginning of what promises to be a thrilling career in the years to come.
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