On a buzzing Thursday evening at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the dynamic Indian opener tore Afghanistan’s bowling plans to shreds, smashing the fastest T20I century by an Indian. By the end of the ninth over, Sharma was unbeaten on an eye-watering 107 off just 32 deliveries, propelling India to a dominant 140/0 and turning the third and final T20I into an absolute spectacle.
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran won the toss and opted to field first—a decision that quickly spiraled into defensive damage control. Capitalizing on the true, skidding pace of the Delhi surface, Sharma targeted the boundary ropes right from ball one.
He didn't just capitalize on loose deliveries; he dismantled entire lengths:
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The Launch (Overs 1–3): India sprinted to 45/0 in just three overs as Sharma drove through the line with supreme premeditation.
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The Off-Spin Miscalculation: Repeating a gambit that flopped in the second fixture, Afghanistan turned to early off-spin inside the powerplay. Abhishek punished the move, launching successive strikes down the ground to bring up India's century stand in the 6th over.
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Neutralizing Rashid: Even the world-class Rashid Khan could do little to stem the flow, yielding 21 runs off his first seven balls as Sharma reached his 90s in mere blinks.
By the end of the powerplay, India stood commanding at 100/0, with opening partner Sanju Samson—coming fresh off a composed half-century in the second fixture—playing the supportive anchor with an unbeaten 33 off 23 balls.
With India already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy, the team played with the freedom of a side without pressure. The bowling attack had laid the groundwork earlier in the series, spearheaded by all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s three-wicket haul in the second game to keep the visitors on the back foot.
Tonight, however, belonged entirely to Sharma's raw ball-striking power, writing a fresh chapter in Delhi's rich history of T20 hitting.
