AFG vs IND live action from New Delhi has produced a stunning batting display, with Abhishek Sharma smashing a record-breaking century for India in the third and final T20I against Afghanistan. Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field at Arun Jaitley Stadium, but India’s opening attack with the bat immediately put the visitors under pressure.
India entered the final match with a 2-0 lead after winning the first two games by seven wickets. The series was already secured, but the third match offered India a chance to complete a clean sweep and Afghanistan an opportunity to finish the contest with a victory.
The biggest story of the night quickly became Sharma’s extraordinary innings.
The left-handed opener reached his century in only 30 balls. That effort broke the previous Indian record for the fastest T20I century, which had been held by Rohit Sharma after his 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Sharma eventually departed for 108 from 34 deliveries. His innings contained nine fours and 11 sixes and gave India an enormous scoring boost during the opening stages.
Afghanistan Elects to Bowl First in Delhi
Ibrahim Zadran won the toss for Afghanistan and decided to bowl first.
The decision gave Afghanistan the opportunity to attack India’s batting lineup with the new ball. Instead, the opening partnership immediately shifted the momentum toward the home side.
Sanju Samson joined Sharma at the top of the order. The pair attacked from the beginning, forcing Afghanistan’s bowlers to change lengths and defensive fields during the powerplay.
India’s scoring rate climbed rapidly.
Sharma was particularly aggressive against the Afghanistan attack. He reached his half-century in only 16 balls, setting the tone for an innings that would soon become one of the most remarkable performances of his international career.
The early scoring also placed Afghanistan’s spin options under immediate pressure.
Abhishek Sharma Rewrites India’s T20I Record
Sharma’s 30-ball century became the defining moment of the match.
Before this innings, Rohit Sharma held the record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian men’s batter. His 35-ball hundred had stood since 2017.
Abhishek Sharma cut five deliveries from that mark.
The century also placed Sharma among the fastest century-makers in men’s T20I cricket overall. Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan reached three figures in 27 balls, while Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad achieved the milestone in 29 deliveries.
Sharma’s hundred was therefore the third-fastest in men’s T20I cricket at the time of his achievement.
His performance also established another major mark during the opening six overs.
Sharma scored 76 runs from 22 deliveries during the powerplay. That became the highest individual score recorded in the first six overs of a men’s T20I.
India also reached 100 during the powerplay, adding another remarkable feature to an already extraordinary start.
A Blistering Start From India’s Openers
India’s opening partnership gave the innings immediate momentum.
Sharma initially found the boundary against Fazalhaq Farooqi before increasing the attack against Azmatullah Omarzai.
The pressure continued when Mohammad Nabi entered the attack.
Sharma targeted the experienced all-rounder with powerful strokes, moving rapidly toward his fifty. His acceleration meant Afghanistan could not settle into a comfortable bowling rhythm.
Samson also contributed valuable runs at a strong strike rate.
The two batters kept the scoreboard moving while Afghanistan searched for its first breakthrough.
The opening partnership eventually pushed India into an exceptional position before Rashid Khan was introduced.
Rashid Khan Provides Afghanistan With a Breakthrough
Rashid Khan remains one of Afghanistan’s biggest bowling threats, and he eventually ended Sharma’s remarkable stay at the crease.
Sharma’s innings ended at 108 from 34 balls.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz completed the catch behind the stumps, giving Afghanistan an important breakthrough after India’s explosive opening phase.
Sharma’s departure did not erase the damage already caused.
He had scored at a rate that allowed India to build a huge platform in the first half of the innings. Afghanistan still had to deal with India’s remaining batting order, including Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel.
India’s Middle Order Takes Over
Once Sharma departed, the responsibility moved to India’s middle order.
Shreyas Iyer led the side and remained an important figure in the innings. Ishan Kishan was also part of the established batting group.
Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy provided additional options as India attempted to maintain the scoring rate.
Shivam Dube was another major component of India’s lineup.
Afghanistan began taking wickets as the innings progressed, but the damage from the opening partnership had already created a strong foundation.
The visitors needed regular breakthroughs to prevent India’s total from becoming even larger.
Afghanistan’s Bowling Attack Faces Heavy Pressure
Afghanistan used a combination of pace and spin throughout the innings.
Farooqi opened the bowling, while Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also operated during the early overs. Nabi and Rashid Khan provided experience in the spin department.
The challenge became especially difficult after India’s opening pair accelerated.
Afghanistan’s bowlers were forced to defend against an aggressive batting approach from the first few overs. Boundaries arrived regularly, and fielding positions had to change quickly.
Rashid’s introduction eventually produced a crucial wicket, but India’s scoring momentum remained significant.
The Afghan attack had to focus on restricting the remaining batters during the final overs.
India’s Playing XI for the Third T20I
India made one change from the previous match.
Yash Thakur came into the playing XI, replacing Arshdeep Singh.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Washington Sundar were not included in the final XI.
India’s lineup featured:
- Sanju Samson
- Abhishek Sharma
- Ishan Kishan
- Shreyas Iyer
- Tilak Varma
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Yash Thakur
Shreyas Iyer continued as captain, while Samson handled wicketkeeping duties.
The selection gave Thakur an opportunity in the final match of the series.
Afghanistan’s Playing XI
Afghanistan also entered the final game with Ibrahim Zadran as captain.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz took the wicketkeeping role, while the batting group included Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli and Noor ul Rahman.
Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi provided all-round options.
Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi formed an experienced part of the bowling attack.
Abdollah Ahmadzai completed the playing XI.
The visitors had several established T20 performers available, but India’s explosive beginning created a difficult challenge from the outset.
India Already Lead the Series 2-0
The third match began after India had already secured the series.
India won the opening T20I on September 13 by seven wickets.
Afghanistan posted 156/8 after being asked to bat first. Azmatullah Omarzai produced a strong unbeaten 64, while Mohammad Nabi scored 33.
India then chased the target in only 13.4 overs.
Abhishek Sharma was the standout batter in that game as well. He scored 82 from 32 balls and helped India complete the chase comfortably.
The second T20I produced another seven-wicket win for India.
Afghanistan made 159/8 from 20 overs. India responded with 163/3 in 14.5 overs.
Those consecutive victories gave India an unassailable 2-0 advantage before the series finale.
The Final Match Has a Different Objective
With the series already decided, the third T20I carries a different type of importance.
India is seeking a 3-0 result.
Afghanistan is attempting to avoid a clean sweep.
For India, the match also provides another competitive opportunity for players within the squad. The team can assess combinations while maintaining its strong core.
Afghanistan has a more direct objective. A victory would give the visitors a result to take from the series after two defeats.
The difference in the series score makes the final game particularly interesting for both teams.
Arun Jaitley Stadium Hosts All Three Matches
The entire three-match series has been played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
That has given both sides consistent playing conditions throughout the contest.
The Delhi venue has witnessed aggressive batting during the series, and the third game continued that pattern almost immediately.
Sharma’s power hitting transformed the opening overs into a major spectacle.
His six-hitting was particularly effective, with the opener repeatedly clearing the boundary during the powerplay and middle overs.
The conditions allowed him to attack without slowing down.
Sharma’s 2026 Form Continues to Stand Out
The record century also added another major performance to Sharma’s 2026 campaign.
During his 108-run innings, he continued a strong run of power hitting in the shortest format.
His performance against Afghanistan demonstrated his ability to score rapidly while maintaining enough control to bat deep into the innings.
The six-hitting numbers were particularly notable.
Sharma’s 11 sixes contributed heavily to India’s rapid scoring rate. His seven sixes during the powerplay also added to his record for maximums during the first six overs in a calendar year.
The innings therefore went beyond simply reaching a century.
Several records moved during the same period.
The 30-Ball Century Changes the Match
A century in 30 deliveries dramatically changes the nature of a T20 contest.
Afghanistan had chosen to bowl first, hoping to restrict India’s opening batters.
Instead, the visitors faced one of the fastest scoring bursts in the format.
India’s early advantage meant that even after Sharma’s dismissal, the batting side retained enough time and resources to build a large total.
The psychological effect was also significant.
Afghanistan needed wickets while India could continue attacking with several recognized batters still available.
Afghanistan Must Respond With the Bat
Once India’s innings ended, Afghanistan faced the challenge of chasing the target.
Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were among the key players expected to provide the foundation.
Sediqullah Atal and Darwish Rasooli offered further batting depth, while Omarzai and Nabi could contribute later in the innings.
Afghanistan’s chase would need a fast start.
India’s bowling group includes Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Yash Thakur. The attack combines pace with spin and gives captain Iyer several options.
Rashid Khan’s presence remains equally important for Afghanistan, particularly after he dismissed Sharma.
India’s Bowling Attack Enters the Spotlight
After a huge batting performance, India’s bowlers would face a different challenge.
The priority becomes controlling Afghanistan’s scoring rate and taking wickets at regular intervals.
Bumrah provides India’s most experienced pace option.
Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi can create pressure through spin, while Yash Thakur adds another pace option.
The Afghanistan batting order has enough experience to make a chase competitive.
However, the required run rate becomes increasingly important when a team begins an innings against a large target.
India’s bowlers therefore need to combine wicket-taking deliveries with economical overs.
What the Series Has Shown So Far
The first two matches established a clear pattern.
Afghanistan produced competitive totals but struggled to stop India’s chase.
India’s batting depth allowed the team to recover quickly from individual dismissals.
The third match has followed a different script because India batted first.
Instead of chasing, India had the opportunity to set the pace of the contest.
Sharma took full advantage of that opportunity.
His 108-run innings ensured that India’s final match of the series would be remembered even before the result was decided.
Why the Third T20I Remains Important
A series finale can carry significance even when the overall winner has already been determined.
India can complete a 3-0 sweep.
Afghanistan can finish with a victory and prevent that result.
Individual performances also matter.
Players competing for places in future T20I squads can use the final match to strengthen their case through performances on the field.
For Afghanistan, the contest offers an opportunity to test its batting and bowling plans against a strong Indian side.
For viewers, Sharma’s record has already provided one of the defining moments of the series.
The Latest Match Picture
The third T20I has already delivered a remarkable first innings.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field.
India responded with an aggressive opening partnership before Sharma produced a 30-ball century.
He finished with 108 from 34 balls, including nine fours and 11 sixes.
His century surpassed Rohit Sharma’s previous Indian record and became one of the fastest hundreds in men’s T20I history.
India then continued batting after Sharma’s departure, with Afghanistan attempting to limit the final total.
The match therefore moved from an extraordinary individual performance toward a potentially demanding chase.
AFG vs IND Live Action Heads Toward a Series Finale
India came into the final game with the series already secured, but the third T20I has become much more than a routine closing match.
Sharma’s record-setting innings has transformed the contest into a major batting highlight.
The 30-ball century, 108-run final score and 76-run powerplay performance have all added to an already memorable night in Delhi.
Afghanistan now has the task of answering India’s batting display.
The visitors will need contributions throughout their lineup if they are to challenge the target. India, meanwhile, will look to use its bowling resources to finish the series with another victory.
The final result will determine whether India completes a 3-0 sweep or Afghanistan leaves Delhi with a win in the last match.
What did you think of Abhishek Sharma’s record-breaking performance? Share your thoughts in the comments and stay informed as the latest match action continues.