Abhishek's 32-ball hundred triggers historic, record-packed SMAT tie

After a quiet comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Punjab skipper Abhishek Sharma erupted in spectacular fashion, delivering a record-shattering century against a seasoned Bengal attack at Hyderabad’s Gymkhana Ground on Sunday.

 

Opening after winning the toss, the left-hander hit top gear instantly, storming to a 12-ball fifty, dismantling his former SunRisers Hyderabad teammate Mohammed Shami for 23 runs in a single over.

 

A Boundary-Fuelled Fifty

 

What made the knock even more astonishing was the manner in which it unfolded, 50 of his first 51 runs came entirely through boundaries, featuring five fours and five sixes. Alongside Prabhsimran Singh, Abhishek powered Punjab past 120 inside eight overs, with both openers reaching their half-centuries in a blaze. 

 

Abhishek Levels Rohit, Trails Only Kohli

 

Abhishek’s assault continued as he surged to a 32-ball hundred, hammering 11 sixes and seven fours. This landmark effort marked his 8th T20 century, equalling Rohit Sharma’s tally. Among Indian batters, only Virat Kohli (9) now has more T20 hundreds.

 

Abhishek Sharma: India’s New T20 Trailblazer 

Key Records Among Indians

 

• Most T20 sixes in a calendar year: 91*
• Joint second-most T20 centuries: 8
• Joint second-fastest Indian to a T20 fifty: 12 balls
• Joint third-fastest Indian T20 hundred: 32 balls
• Second-highest T20 score by an Indian man: 148
• Second-most sixes in a T20 innings: 16
• Second-most runs in boundaries in an Indian innings: 128

 

His numbers reflect a batter who has rapidly evolved into one of India’s premier T20 power-hitters.

 

Rewriting His Own Records

 

Last year, Abhishek blasted a 28-ball hundred—joint-fastest by an Indian—and smashed 87 sixes, the highest by any Indian in a single year. In 2025, he has already rewritten that record, pushing past his previous mark with 91 sixes, courtesy of a brutal display against Bengal.

 

Punjab Cross 300 in a T20 First

 

Abhishek eventually departed for 148 off 52 balls, striking 16 sixes and eight fours, but his early carnage set up Punjab’s historic finish. The team became only the second Indian side to breach 300 in a T20 match, following Baroda’s effort against Sikkim in 2024.