Abhishek Sharma struck 108 off 34 balls in India’s 127-run victory over Afghanistan in the third T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi on Thursday. The left-hander’s explosive innings powered India to 221 for 7, while Afghanistan managed 94 all out in 14.1 overs. The win completed a 3-0 series sweep for India.
Mohammad Kaif observed a marked shift in Abhishek’s approach during the three-match series. The former India batter noted that Abhishek had refined his strategy, moving away from his earlier tendency to attack from the opening delivery. Kaif explained the change in a detailed assessment of the southpaw’s performance and mindset.
“Abhishek has worked on his game as well. If you remember, he used to go to hit shots from the very first ball in the Asia Cup and got out as well. Now, he is giving himself three to four balls and then going for his shots. This was a commendable knock, and you will not find such a player again. He is a gift that we need to preserve,” Kaif said on his Instagram handle.
Record-breaking century for India
Abhishek’s century came off 30 balls, setting a new full-member record for the fastest T20I hundred. He surpassed the previous mark of 33 balls, jointly held by Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza against Gambia in 2024 and New Zealand’s Finn Allen against South Africa at the 2026 T20 World Cup. The innings also broke Rohit Sharma’s India record of 35 balls, set against Sri Lanka in 2017. Abhishek’s 108 included nine fours and 11 sixes off his 34-ball stay at the crease.
This was Abhishek’s third T20I century, marking the fastest by an Indian batter and the third-fastest overall in men’s T20Is. His performance came after a difficult period in which he had failed to register a fifty in his previous seven innings. Kaif acknowledged the pressure surrounding Abhishek during this lean run, noting the competitive environment within the Indian squad.
There was a lot of pressure on Abhishek during the Afghanistan series. In his last seven innings before the series, he had not scored a fifty, and with the depth of competition in Indian cricket, opportunities were not guaranteed if form did not return. Vaibhav Suryavanshi was waiting in the wings for a chance to play.
Kaif praised Abhishek for showing great confidence in his abilities and counterattacking despite being under pressure due to the lack of runs heading into the series.
“There was a lot of pressure on Abhishek Sharma. In his last seven innings, there was no fifty, and in India, if you get out in one or two games, there is no guarantee you will get the third game. The competition is such that Vaibhav Suryavanshi is waiting behind. There was a lot of pressure. But the way he made a comeback and counterattacked, it is praiseworthy,” Kaif said.
Abhishek finished the series as the leading run-scorer with 229 runs at a strike rate of 269.41 across the three matches. Kaif used the performance to highlight the importance of persisting with talented players through difficult phases. He emphasised that a single exceptional innings can follow a period of struggle, and backing quality players through such phases remains crucial.
Also Read: Abhishek Sharma smashes fastest T20I century by a full-member batter in 3rd T20I vs Afghanistan
Kaif stressed that a lean run does not diminish a batter’s quality or potential. He pointed to Abhishek’s dominant display in the Afghanistan series, where the left-hander hit more sixes despite the pressure of his previous form. The lesson, Kaif suggested, was clear for selectors and team management.
“He dominated, hitting sixes down the ground. In this series, he has hit more sixes despite being under pressure. What we can learn from this is that if a batter does not score in a few innings, he does not become a bad batter, because an innings that is the fastest hundred comes after that, so it is important to back players,” Kaif said.
