Ajinkya Rahane lauds the India batter's personality away from cricket after his record-breaking T20I century.
By Adreej Kumar Mitra2 Min Read
Abhishek Sharma produced one of the most explosive batting displays in T20 International cricket on September 17, 2026, when he scored 108 off just 34 balls against Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The innings contained 9 fours and 11 sixes as India dominated the third T20I of the series. Opening partner Sanju Samson contributed 34 off 25 balls at the other end, providing solid support as India built a commanding total.
The former India captain highlighted qualities that extend beyond the batter's explosive performances on the field. Ajinkya Rahane spoke about Sharma's personality and approach to the game, noting the consistency between his demeanour away from cricket and his intensity during matches.
"As much as I know Abhishek, I don't think he would be looking to prove anything to anyone. I think he probably wanted to prove to himself how he can get better. He is a very bindaas character off the field. I think the same character comes on the field too," Rahane said on his YouTube channel.
"This will happen in the sport. People will talk if you do well or don't do well. Abhishek is a mature player and batter who knows that the outside noise will continue forever," he added.
Sharma's century came off just 30 balls, establishing a new record for the quickest T20I hundred by a batter from an ICC Full-Member nation. The previous benchmark of 33 balls was jointly held by Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza, who achieved the feat on October 23, 2024, and New Zealand's Finn Allen, who scored his century on March 4, 2026. Sharma's explosive knock surpassed both records and underlined his aggressive approach to T20 cricket, cementing his position as one of the most dynamic young batters in international cricket.
India's bowling dominance and series result
India's bowling attack proved equally effective in the match. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi each took three wickets as India defeated Afghanistan by 127 runs to complete a whitewash of the three-T20I series in Delhi. The comprehensive victory demonstrated India's dominance across all departments of the game.
India's next assignment involved a one-off T20I against Japan on September 22, 2026, before the team began its Asian Games 2026 campaign from the quarterfinal stage.
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