India completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep against Afghanistan with a 127-run victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. The result was defined by a record-breaking performance from opener Abhishek Sharma, who led the hosts to a dominant total before the bowlers dismissed Afghanistan for 94.
Abhishek Sharma set a new record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian, reaching the milestone in 30 balls. This effort surpassed Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball century and established a new global benchmark for the fastest hundred by a batter from a Full Member nation. India also set a team record during the match by scoring 100 runs within the 6-over powerplay.
Reflecting on his approach, Sharma said: “It’s just watch the ball and play according to it. It’s very simple from day one. I just want to express myself. Just see the ball and hit the ball.”
Captain Shreyas Iyer described the innings as “flawless” and “pleasing to the eye.” Addressing the one-sided nature of the series, Iyer dismissed the idea of “bullying” the opposition. “I won’t say bullying. We are respectful of the fact that they have come to India and were hosting the series. It wasn’t an easy wicket,” he noted, referring to Afghanistan’s role as the official series host despite the New Delhi venue.
In the second innings, the Afghan lineup collapsed against India’s bowling attack. Nitish Kumar Reddy finished with figures of 3/25, ensuring Afghanistan never threatened the target. In a show of sportsmanship during the trophy presentation, Iyer invited Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran to share the ‘Friendship Cup’ trophy photograph.
India’s next assignment is a one-off T20I against Japan in Sano on September 22. The fixture is part of the ‘Sport 75’ initiative marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. The squad for the Japan tour includes a late change, as spinner Vipraj Nigam replaces Varun Chakravarthy, who has been ruled out due to a side strain.
