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Punjab opener Abhishek Sharma delivered an electrifying performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, smashing a 28-ball century against Meghalaya in the final group-stage match on Thursday. This blistering innings saw him equal the record for the fastest T20 hundred by an Indian, a mark recently set by Gujarat’s Urvil Patel in the same tournament.
Breaking the shackles of form: Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek’s fiery knock was nothing short of sensational, propelling Punjab to chase down the target of 143 runs in a mere 9.3 overs with seven wickets to spare. The left-handed batter’s innings featured a jaw-dropping 11 sixes, cementing his position as one of the most destructive hitters in the competition. Before this remarkable display, Abhishek had endured a middling campaign, scoring just 149 runs across six innings with only one fifty to his name. However, Thursday’s innings marked a turnaround, as the young batter unleashed his full potential to script history.
Rewriting domestic cricket history: Joint fastest T20 hundred
Abhishek’s ton was his fourth in the SMAT, making him the leading century-scorer in the history of India’s premier domestic T20 tournament, eclipsing Shreyas Iyer‘s record of three tons. His 28-ball milestone now shares the second spot on the all-time global list, just behind Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, who hammered a 27-ball century earlier this year. Gujarat opener Urvil had set the benchmark for Indian cricket last week, scoring a 28-ball ton against Tripura. Before 2023, the record for the fastest century in the tournament was held by Rishabh Pant, who smashed a 32-ball hundred against Hi๊machal Pradesh in 2018.
Also READ: Baroda scriptsও history with record-breaking T20 total in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024
Surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s massive record
Abhishek’s blitzkrieg didn’t just end with a century. By smashing 11 sixes in this knock, he shattered Suryakumar Yadav’s record for the most sixes by an Indian in a calendar year. Suryakumar had hit 85 sixes in 41 innings in 2022,🦩 but Abhishek surpassed him with 86 sixes in just 38 innings this year. Suryakumar has also on third position with 71 sixes in 33 games in the year 2022. This exceptional innings not only lifted Punjab to a dom𝔍inant victory but also firmly established Abhishek as one of the brightest stars in Indian cricket.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Punjab skipper Abhishek Sharma writཧes his name in lights! 11 sixes, 7 fours, and a blistering 28-ball ton. Unstoppable! 💪
— SunRisers🐼 OrangeArmy Official (@srhfansofficia🍌l)
🚨 ABHISHEK SHARMA – JOINT FASTEST HUNDRED BY AN INDIAN IN T20 HISTORY 🚨
– Abhishek smashed Hundred from just 28 balls in Syed Mushtaq Ali while chasing 143 runs. 🤯
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
🚨 RECORD ALERT 🚨
FASTEST CENTURY BY AN INDIAN IN T20S.
YES, Urvil Patel 𝕴HAS COMPANY. 28-BALL CENTURY for ABHISHEK SHARMA 🔥
— Kaushik Kashyap (@CricKaushik_)
Most T20 sixes by an Indian in a calendar year
87* (38 innings) – 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)— Lalith Kalidas (@lal__kal)
Abhishek Sౠharma now has H꧙IGHEST strike-rate for a T20 century.
365.52 – Abhishek Sharma (Punjab) v Meghalaya, 2024*
351.21 – Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) v Cyprus, 2024
322.85 – Urvil Patel (Gujarat) v Tripura, 2024
309.30 – Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) v Gambia, 2024
305.26 – Rishabh…— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Abhishek Sharma smashed a 100 in just 28 balls???? What he i👍s eating.😳
— Bhawana (@cricbhawana)
Hundred for Abhishek Sharma! 💯👏👏
He smashed a hundred in just 28 balls wi🅠th 7 fours and 11 sixes for Pu꧂njab against Meghalaya in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 🤯🔥🔥
A terrific knock by෴ the Punja𒁏b captain, leading the team from front. 👌
— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01)
Abhishek Sharma scored a hundred in just 28 balls in꧅ Syed Mushtaq Ali T20. Insane.
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan)
Ek number 👌
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS)
Hello. Hello. Hello.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh)
Abhishek Sharma has smashed a hundred off just 28 balls, the joint second-fastest in T20 cricket. Punjab chase down 143 against Meghalaya in 9.3 overs෴. Now they wait for other results to see if they can qualify for the knockouts.
— Hemant Brar (@HemantBrar_)
Joint Fastest 💯 in ➡️ Abhishek Sharma 100*(28).
Urvil Patel 100*(28)
What an innings.
Abhishek Sharma 106*(29).
4s ➡️ 8
6s ➡️ 11
SR ➡️ 365.52&🎀mdash⛎; JaayShaan (VaidhyaJayaShankar) (@JaayShaan)
🚨 RECORD ALERT 👉 Abhi smashes his way to the joint fastest T20 💯 by an 🐻Indi⛦an! 🔥
Just another day of for Abhi at the Syed Mushtaq Ali🦄 Trophy 2024-25 🤩
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers)
Urvil Patel did it v Tripura – 28-ball 100. Now, Abhishek Sharma scoring a 28-ball ton v Meghalaya. Poor bowlers from Meghalaya.
— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12)
