England and India were forced to settle for a no result in the opening T20I of the series at the Riverside Ground after persistent rain prevented England from beginning their chase. After winning the toss, India posted a competitive 189/7 in their allotted 20 overs with several useful contributions across the batting order. However, continuous showers meant England never got the opportunity to bat. While the weather denied fans a result, the match still produced a memorable milestone as Indian opener Abhishek Sharma etched his name into the record books by becoming the fastest batter to complete 100 sixes in T20 Internationals.
The left-handed opener reached the landmark in just 785 balls, breaking the previous record of West Indies power-hitter Evin Lewis, who had required 789 deliveries. Abhishek crossed the milestone after clearing the ropes twice during his aggressive innings against England, adding another remarkable achievement to his rapidly growing T20I resume.
5 fastest batters to reach 100 T20I sixes
1. Abhishek Sharma – 785 balls
Abhishek now sits at the top of the list after rewriting T20I history in Chester-le-Street. Since making his international debut in July 2024, the 25-year-old has transformed into one of the most feared attacking batters in the shortest format. His fearless intent at the top of the order and ability to dominate both pace and spin have made him a key figure in India’s T20 setup.
The milestone further highlights his extraordinary consistency as an aggressive batter. With more than 1,450 T20I runs at a strike rate exceeding 190, Abhishek already owns the highest strike rate among players with at least 1,000 runs in men’s T20Is, underlining his impact as a modern-day power-hitter.
2. Evin Lewis – 789 balls
Before Abhishek’s record-breaking effort, the benchmark belonged to West Indies opener Lewis. Renowned for his clean ball-striking and explosive starts, Lewis reached 100 T20I sixes in 789 deliveries.
The left-hander has long been one of the most dangerous batters in international T20 cricket, producing several match-winning innings while opening the batting for the Caribbean side. Although he has now slipped to second place, his achievement remains one of the fastest ever recorded.
3. Finn Allen – 871 balls
New Zealand opener Finn Allen occupies third position after taking 871 balls to complete 100 T20I maximums. Allen has earned a reputation for attacking from the very first over, often putting bowlers under immediate pressure during the powerplay.
His aggressive style has made him one of the most exciting T20 batters in world cricket, and reaching the milestone in fewer than 900 deliveries reflects his natural ability to find the boundary with remarkable regularity.
4. Tim David – 931 balls
Australia’s Tim David features fourth on the elite list, requiring 931 balls to bring up his century of T20I sixes. Unlike many others on the list, David usually bats in the middle order, making his achievement even more impressive.
Frequently arriving at the crease in pressure situations, the hard-hitting all-rounder has built a reputation as one of the game’s premier finishers, regularly launching bowlers into the stands during the closing overs.
5. Colin Munro – 963 balls
Former New Zealand opener Colin Munro rounds off the top five after reaching the milestone in 963 deliveries. Munro was among the pioneers of ultra-aggressive opening batting in T20 cricket and enjoyed several memorable performances for the Black Caps.
Known for his fearless strokeplay, he consistently took on bowlers from the outset and played a significant role in redefining New Zealand’s approach to T20 batting during his international career.
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Abhishek Sharma shatters KL Rahul’s long-standing record
The historic evening brought more than one milestone for Abhishek. During his entertaining knock, he also registered the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian in England, reaching the landmark in just 20 balls.
In doing so, he surpassed KL Rahul‘s previous Indian record of a 27-ball half-century against England in Manchester in 2018. The innings showcased Abhishek’s fearless intent and remarkable ability to dominate quality bowling from the very beginning.
Although the opening T20I ended without a result because of rain, Abhishek ensured the contest would still be remembered. By breaking two significant records in the same innings, the Indian opener once again demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the brightest stars in world T20 cricket and a player capable of changing games in a matter of overs.
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