Abhishek Sharma smashed 76 runs in the powerplay during his sensational 30-ball century against Afghanistan
He hammered 11 sixes in the innings, marking the second-highest tally by an Indian in a T20I
Sharma now holds the top two spots for most sixes in a single T20I innings for India
Abhishek Sharma tore apart Afghanistan's bowling attack inside the powerplay itself, racing to 76 runs in the first six overs during the third T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday — the standout number behind his explosive 30-ball century.
The left-hander's onslaught meant India were all but out of sight before the fielding restrictions had even lifted, with Sharma single-handedly doing the bulk of the scoring as he raced from fifty to a hundred inside the same six-over burst.
It was an innings built on relentless intent from the very first ball, with Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi all failing to find a way to slow him down.
Powering that surge was a barrage of 11 sixes, the second-highest tally by any Indian batter in a T20I innings. The knock falls just short of his own record of 13 sixes, set against England in Mumbai during the Wankhede Stadium clash in 2025 — meaning Sharma now owns both the top two entries on India's list for most maximums in a single innings.
His six-hitting also pushed him past a trio of batters who had held the mark at 10 apiece — Rohit Sharma's blitz against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017, Sanju Samson's assault on South Africa in Durban in 2024, and Tilak Varma's knock against the same opposition in Johannesburg later that year. Ishan Kishan had also joined that group earlier this year with 10 sixes against New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram.
With a powerplay haul that eclipsed most full team totals in the format, Abhishek Sharma continues to redefine the ceiling for power-hitting in Indian T20I cricket.
Abhishek Sharma - Stats
Highest individual Runs In Powerplay Of Men’s T20Is
76*(22) - Abhishek Sharma (IND) vs AFG, Delhi, 2026
74*(25) - Kuldeep Gholiya (Portugal) vs Malta, Gibraltar, 2023
73*(22) - Travis Head (AUS) vs SCOT, Edinburgh, 2024
68*(21) - Wintley Burton (SER) vs BUL, Sofia, 2022
68*(28) - George Munsey (SCOT) vs Austria, Edinburgh, 2023
Most Sixes By An Indian Cricketer In A T20I innings
13 - Abhishek Sharma vs ENG, Mumbai WS, 2025
11 - Abhishek Sharma vs AFG, Delhi, 2026
10 - Rohit Sharma vs SL, Indore, 2017
10 - Sanju Samson vs SA, Durban, 2024
10 - Tilak Varma vs SA, Johannesburg, 2024
10 - Ishan Kishan vs NZ, Thiruvananthapuram, 2026
