Abhishek Sharma Smashes History: Overtakes Virat Kohli for Most T20 Centuries by an Indian
Abhishek Sharma makes history in Wellington, surpassing Virat Kohli for the most T20 centuries by an Indian cricketer with a blistering 113.
In a breathtaking display of power-hitting at Wellington, Abhishek Sharma T20 centuries tally has reached a historic milestone. The explosive left-hander has officially overtaken the legendary Virat Kohli to become the Indian batter with the most T20 centuries across all formats.
The milestone came during the third T20I against New Zealand, where Sharma produced a masterclass in aggression. He tore through the bowling attack to score a staggering 113 runs off just 38 balls. His innings was a whirlwind of boundaries, featuring nine fours and 11 massive sixes, played at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 297.37.
Climbing the Global Rankings
With this latest feat, Abhishek Sharma now boasts 11 T20 centuries, surpassing Virat Kohli's previous record of 10. This achievement doesn't just place him at the top of the Indian charts; it catapults him into the elite global bracket. He is now the third-highest centurion in the history of T20 cricket, trailing only the West Indian legend Chris Gayle (22) and Pakistan's Babar Azam (13).
Furthermore, Sharma has now secured four T20I centuries, placing him joint-second in the history of T20 Internationals. He now shares this prestigious spot with fellow Indians Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, as well as England's Phil Salt. Only Australia's Glenn Maxwell, with five T20I centuries, stands above them.
A Year of Absolute Dominance
Abhishek Sharma's current form is nothing short of phenomenal. In 70 T20Is (69 innings), he has accumulated 2,240 runs at an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 196.83, including 14 fifties and a career-best score of 135.
The current calendar year has been his most prolific yet. In 37 T20Is, he has hammered 1,125 runs at a strike rate of 206.42. He is now just 40 runs away from breaking the record for the most T20I runs in a single year by an Indian, a mark of 1,164 runs set by Suryakumar Yadav in 2022.
The Six-Hitting Machine
Sharma's ability to clear the ropes is becoming legendary. This match marked the seventh time he has hit 10 or more sixes in a T20I innings, a feat surpassed only by Chris Gayle (18 times). Remarkably, among T20I specialists, Sharma has actually outperformed Gayle in this specific category, achieving the milestone three times compared to Gayle's two.
He has also become only the third Indian to reach the 150 T20I sixes mark, currently sitting at 158, trailing behind Rohit Sharma (205) and Suryakumar Yadav (179).
Match Recap: India Seal Series 3-0
The record-breaking performance came during a high-scoring encounter in Wellington. India won the toss and elected to bowl first. While Tim Seifert fell early, New Zealand recovered strongly thanks to an 86-run partnership between Finn Allen (40 off 25) and Daryl Mitchell.
Mitchell was the standout for the Kiwis, remaining unbeaten on 89 off 52 balls (including five fours and five sixes), while Bevon Jacobs added a quick 39*. New Zealand finished their 20 overs at 198/3, with Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy claiming one wicket each.
A Blistering Chase
India's response was an absolute onslaught. Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (45 off 19 balls) decimated the New Zealand attack, propelling India to 133 runs in just 7.1 overs. Despite a momentary stumble, Naman Dhir (4*) hit the winning runs to secure a dominant victory with eight wickets and 40 balls to spare.
With this comprehensive win, India has sealed the series with a clean 3-0 sweep.