dia vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I 2026: Abhishek Sharma’s Record Century Powers India to 127-Run Win
The third T20I match between India and Afghanistan in 2026 proved to be a memorable affair at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The Indian cricket team accomplished a thoroughly impressive win over their opponents with an overall impressive 127-run victory to seal a clean sweep in the series. The main highlight of the day was Abhishek Sharma’s remarkable hundred, which was scored in merely 30 balls.
In the end, Abhishek scored a brilliant 108 runs off only 34 balls with 9 fours and 11 sixes. His strike rate of 317.65 set the base for India’s big total of 221/7.
India followed up their batting success with disciplined bowling as Afghanistan was bundled out for only 94 runs in just 14.1 overs. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi took three wickets each while Axar Patel bagged two wickets.
India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I 2026: Match Overview
The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi was the venue for the third T20I, which took place on the 17th of September 2026. The toss was in favor of Afghanistan, which took the unusual decision of opting to bowl first.
This seemed to be an acceptable decision, at first. However, the performance of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson shifted the course of the match.
India scored a total of 221 runs for the loss of 7 wickets, thus setting a target of 222 runs for Afghanistan. In reply, Afghanistan struggled against India’s bowling attack, ultimately getting bowled out for just 94 runs in just 14.1 overs.
Thus, India won the match with 127 runs and sealed a 3-0 series victory.
Match Details
Detail Information
Match India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I
Date 17 September 2026
Venue Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Toss Afghanistan won and bowled first
India 221/7 in 20 overs
Afghanistan 94 all out in 14.1 overs
Result India won by 127 runs
Series Result India won 3–0
Player of the Match Abhishek Sharma
Player of the Series Abhishek Sharma
The scorecard confirms India’s run rate of 11.05, while Afghanistan managed only 6.64 runs per over during their chase.
Abhishek Sharma Achieves a Historic Milestone by Scoring a Century off Thirty Deliveries
Posting an unbeaten 104 runs in just 31 deliveries in the India vs. Afghanistan 3rd T20I held on 4 February, 2026, Abhishek Sharma made his name in cricket history.
The renowned left-handed opener scored the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter in a record breaking 31 balls. He surpassed all previous Indian records held by Rohit Sharma for the fastest T20I century in 35 balls.
Global statistics say that it is the fastest T20I century on behalf of a batter from an ICC Full Member. In the global history of T20I matches, it is the third fastest century so far, coming after the fastest centuries of 27 balls made by Sahil Chauhan and 29 balls scored by Muhammad Fahad.
Abhishek’s final figures were extraordinary:
• 108 runs
• 34 balls
• 9 fours
• 11 sixes
• Strike rate: 317.65
His first fifty came from just 16 balls. By the time he reached his hundred, he had already produced one of the most destructive T20I innings seen by an Indian batter.
Interestingly, Abhishek’s innings ended at 108 when he was dismissed by Rashid Khan. By that point, the harm had already been inflicted.
Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson Propel India to an Impressive Beginning
Abhishek may have taken center stage, but there was no denying the contribution of Sanju Samson. Together, the two openers put together a partnership worth 142 runs that set India up for an excellent start. Samson himself played an important role in this partnership, scoring a half-century from only 35 balls with the help of two fours and four sixes.
After the powerplay, India scored their 100th run, causing panic in the Afghanistan camp. The opening stand made it easier for the middle order to come in without the pressure of building the innings again.
Abhishek set the terms of the innings in the specific sense that the way he batted allowed Samson to bat freely.
India’s Middle Order Keeps the Momentum Going
Once Abhishek and Samson left the field, neither did India lose grip on the innings. Shreyas Iyer made 29 runs from 20 balls, hitting two sixes. Shivam Dube managed to score 14 runs from 10 balls while Ishan Kishan contributed with his 10 runs from eight deliveries.
Tilak Varma was out at two runs while Nitish Kumar Reddy managed to score only one. Axar Patel remained at five runs when the innings got over.
India’s innings finished at the score of 221/7, providing the bowlers with huge margin for errors.
While Abhishek’s century obviously took the headlines, the innings also illustrated how the aggressive opening batting can set the tone for the game.
Afghanistan’s Chase Falls Apart
It was always going to be a challenge for Afghanistan to chase down 222 runs. Nevertheless, they still needed to get off to a solid start if they wanted to be competitive.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and captain Ibrahim Zadran made scores of 15 off 11 balls and 25 off 16 deliveries respectively in the early part of the innings. Azmatullah Omarzai also chipped in with a quick 17 in 13 balls.
Nevertheless, Afghanistan began to lose wickets on a fairly regular basis after this.
The batting team went from 31/1 to 47/4 very soon. The initial phase of the chase saw the run rate climb to an unattainable level.
There were no other batsmen who can make meaningful scores. In the end, Afghanistan succumbed to a humiliating defeat with a total score of just 94 off 14.1 overs.
India’s Bowling Attack Finishes the Job
While the batting attempt set a great basis, the bowlers did their part.
Nitish Kumar Reddy was at the forefront of the bowling rate, taking three wickets for 25 runs from his four overs.
Ravi Bishnoi accompanied suit, also selecting up 3 wickets, as he finished with tremendous figures of 3/26 from 3.1 overs.
Axar Patel was in particular good value in the course of the innings, as he controlled to return with surprising figures of two/9 from 3 overs, and both Jasprit Bumrah and Yash Thakur have been capable of take a wicket each.
Based on all the bowling figures, it’s miles pretty evident that Afghanistan in no way were given comfortable.
Ravi Bishnoi and Nitish Kumar Reddy Make a Big Difference
While the batting attempt set a notable foundation, the bowlers did their component.
Nitish Kumar Reddy became at the vanguard of the bowling fee, taking 3 wickets for 25 runs from his four overs.
Ravi Bishnoi accompanied healthy, also selecting up 3 wickets, as he finished with great figures of 3/26 from three.1 overs.
Axar Patel become particularly good value for the duration of the innings, as he controlled to return with staggering figures of two/nine from 3 overs, and both Jasprit Bumrah and Yash Thakur have been capable of take a wicket every.
Based on all the bowling figures, it’s far pretty glaring that Afghanistan by no means got comfortable.
What Went Right for India?
Several things worked perfectly for India in this match.
- Explosive Powerplay
India scored 100 runs in the powerplay. That immediately shifted the pressure onto Afghanistan. - Record-Breaking Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek’s 30-ball century provided India with an exceptional platform. His ability to attack both pace and spin made it difficult for Afghanistan to find an effective bowling plan. - Strong Opening Partnership
The 142-run partnership between Abhishek and Samson meant India were firmly in control before the first wicket fell. - Effective Bowling
India’s bowlers did not allow Afghanistan to build partnerships. Three wickets each for Nitish and Bishnoi ensured that the chase collapsed quickly. - Series Consistency
India did not simply win the final game. They completed a 3–0 series sweep, with Abhishek also finishing as Player of the Series after an excellent campaign. BCCI reported that he scored 229 runs across the three matches at an average of 76.33 and a strike rate of 269.41.
Who Was India’s Best Performer?
The clear best performer in this game was no other than Abhishek Sharma.
His score of 108 runs from just 34 balls completely altered the game. The manner in which he scored put the opponents under pressure before they could make plans for the bowling.
However, this win was not possible thanks to just one player.
The contributions from Sanju Samson, who scored a 50, supported well. Then, the players (or bowlers) Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi got rid of Afghanistan by taking three wickets each.
Thus, the win can be interpreted as a total team victory with Abhishek Sharma being the star of the show.
What Went Wrong for Afghanistan?
In this match, Afghanistan did not perform well in both innings.
With the ball, they were poor at holding India’s openers during the first powerplay.
Afghanistan’s bowlers gave away a lot of boundaries and allowed the opening pair to set the tone of the contest.
The batting performance of Afghanistan became worse than that of the bowlers. Afghanistan saved losing wickets consistently with out being able to form a sizeable partnership after the powerplay.
Their star batsman Ibrahim, scored just 25 runs at the same time as the score to chase stood at 222. Without a good partnership, the assignment of chasing have become maximum fantastic for Afghanistan.
It would be beside the point in charge a unmarried participant for the defeat. It was India’s high-quality begin with the bat and disciplined performance with the ball that decided the final results of the in shape.
Full Scorecard: India 221/7
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Abhishek Sharma | 108 | 34 | 9 | 11 | 317.65 |
| Sanju Samson | 50 | 35 | 2 | 4 | 142.86 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 29 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 145.00 |
| Shivam Dube | 14 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 140.00 |
| Ishan Kishan | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Axar Patel* | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Tilak Varma | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Ravi Bishnoi* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Total: 221/7 in 20 overs
Afghanistan Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 4 | 39 | 0 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 3 | 27 | 2 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 4 | 45 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 1 | 29 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 43 | 1 |
| Abdullah Ahmadzai | 4 | 38 | 1 |
Full Scorecard: Afghanistan 94 All Out
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 25 | 16 | 4 | 1 |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 15 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 17 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| Noor ul Rahman | 11 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Abdullah Ahmadzai | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Sediqullah Atal | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Darwish Rasooli | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi* | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
India’s Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | 4 | 25 | 3 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 3.1 | 26 | 3 |
| Axar Patel | 3 | 9 | 2 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2 | 16 | 1 |
| Yash Thakur | 2 | 17 | 1 |
Abhishek Sharma’s Record in Context
There is a good deal greater behind Abhishek’s innings than simply the outcome of this suit.
He scored his century off 30 balls, beating Rohit Sharma’s Indian file of thirty-five balls for the fastest T20I hundred. Abhishek additionally climbed to the 1/3 position on the fastest centuries listing, claiming the honour of hitting the quickest century against a Full Member u . S . A .
In addition to that, he controlled to interrupt another outstanding record throughout the innings via hitting as many as 11 sixes, making it one of the fine performances in terms of six-hitting by an Indian.
Final Verdict on the Match
The 3rd T20I between India and Afghanistan in 2026 was not just a run-of-the-mill win.
It was marked by a record-setting century, a great start to the innings, a score of 221 plus brilliant bowling by the Indian bowlers. The fireworks were provided by Abhishek Sharma, while Sanju Samson provided the necessary support at the top, and the bowlers ensured that Afghanistan never came close to the target.
For Afghanistan, the issue was that due to the pressure of batting from the start and losing wickets at regular intervals, their score of 94 showed how difficult the chase was once the Indian bowlers began to attack the middle order.
India’s major gain for the duration of the fit become the capacity to mix aggression with manage. The batsmen introduced a titanic rating and the bowlers defended it effortlessly.
The very last margin of defeat via 127 runs sums up the match perfectly. India changed into at the front foot from the outset and wrapped up the collection with a powerful three-zero end result.
Most importantly, Abhishek Sharma’s 30-ball century will be remembered as every other memorable second in T20I cricket records. His innings could be the spotlight of the day, at the same time as the crew normal overall performance showed India’s depth across each batting and bowling.
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