Abhishek Sharma is an Indian left-handed opening batter and slow left-arm orthodox bowler who has developed into one of the most explosive young players in T20 cricket. Born on 4 September 2000 in Amritsar, Punjab, Sharma progressed through Punjab age-group cricket, captained India Under-19, played in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning team and eventually established himself as a destructive opening batter for Sunrisers Hyderabad and India.
His rise accelerated dramatically from 2024 onward. He made his India T20I debut against Zimbabwe in July 2024, scored his maiden international century in only his second T20I, and then became a major figure in India’s 2025 Asia Cup campaign. In September 2025, he scored 314 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 200 and was named Player of the Tournament.
By September 2026, Sharma had added another major milestone. Against Afghanistan in New Delhi, he smashed 108 from 34 balls, reaching his century from just 30 balls, the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter and the fastest T20I century against a Test-playing nation.
Abhishek Sharma Career Stats
| Format | Career | Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Bat Avg | 50s | 100s | Wickets | BBI | Bowl Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20IRecorded summary — newer snapshot | 2024–2026 | 61 | 60 | 1,807 | 135 | 31.16 | 13 | 2 | 12 | — | 24.92 |
| T20Recorded matches only | 2018–2026 | 128 | 123 | 3,257 | 141 | 29.34 | 19 | 4 | 29 | — | 34.03 |
This compact table is rendered directly from the shared per-format source selection; recorded-only rows are explicitly labelled. Detailed opponent, venue, year and dismissal analysis remains on the full stats page.
Abhishek Sharma
/cricket-player/abhishek-sharma/Each format uses one source consistently. Recorded-only figures are labelled separately.
Recorded summary — newer snapshot
Recorded matches only
Abhishek Sharma Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Abhishek Sharma |
| Born | 4 September 2000 |
| Birthplace | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Batting all-rounder |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| International team | India |
| Domestic team | Punjab |
| IPL team | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| International debut | 6 July 2024 vs Zimbabwe |
| IPL debut | 2018 |
| Major early achievement | India U19 captain |
| Major international award | 2025 Asia Cup Player of the Tournament |
| Latest major innings | 108 off 34 vs Afghanistan, September 2026 |
| Fastest T20I century | 30 balls, India record |
| IPL 2026 runs | 563 |
| T20I runs | 1,858 according to current statistical listings |
| T20I hundreds | 3 |
| IPL hundreds | 2 |
ICC lists Sharma as a left-handed all-rounder who bowls slow left-arm orthodox and made his international debut in 2024. Current statistical databases list 59 T20Is, 1,858 runs and three T20I centuries, although databases can update at different times, so individual totals should be checked against the latest official scorecards when used for a statistical record.
Abhishek Sharma Age and Birthplace
Abhishek Sharma was born on 4 September 2000 in Amritsar, Punjab. As of September 2026, he is 26 years old.
His cricket development began in Punjab and eventually took him through the state’s age-group system before he became part of India’s junior setup. His childhood cricket journey also overlapped with that of Shubman Gill. The two played together from their Punjab Under-14 days and later progressed through India’s junior cricket structure.
Abhishek Sharma Family and Early Life
Sharma’s father, Raj Kumar Sharma, has been closely involved in his cricket development. Indian Express reported that his father was heavily invested in his progression and was building a cricket ground for him in Amritsar. Raj Kumar also discussed the need for greater consistency as his son’s career developed.
Available biographical sources identify his mother as Manju Sharma and report that he has two elder sisters. His schooling has been associated with Delhi Public School, Amritsar.
One of the most important relationships in his cricket development has been his connection with Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj worked with Sharma during his development and helped him refine aspects of his batting. Sharma’s father has publicly credited Yuvraj with a significant influence on his son’s progress.
Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill: Childhood Cricket Connection
Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill have known each other since their early Punjab cricket days. They opened together for Punjab at the Under-14 level and continued through different stages of junior cricket.
Their relationship later became particularly notable at international level because both developed into India opening options. During the 2025 Asia Cup, Gill spoke about having played much of his cricket with Sharma and understanding his game closely.
Abhishek Sharma’s Under-19 and Youth Cricket Career
Sharma’s rise began well before his IPL career.
He scored heavily in age-group cricket and made a particularly strong impression in the 2015-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, scoring 1,200 runs at an average above 100 according to historical career records. He subsequently progressed into Punjab’s Under-19 setup.
In 2016, Sharma was selected to captain India Under-19 for the Youth Asia Cup. The BCCI’s official announcement listed him as captain alongside players including Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill.
His junior career included a major international trophy. He was part of India’s 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, contributing with the bat during the tournament.
This period established an important foundation for his later career: Sharma was not simply an IPL discovery. He had already been identified as a high-level young Indian cricketer several years before his senior international debut.
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Abhishek Sharma’s Punjab Career
Sharma made his first-class debut for Punjab in the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy, beginning his senior domestic career while still very young.
He subsequently represented Punjab across first-class, List A and T20 cricket.
His domestic T20 development became especially important. During the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Sharma was one of Punjab’s leading performers as the side won the tournament. He scored 485 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 192.46, including two centuries and three fifties.
That season helped demonstrate that his attacking style could translate into sustained domestic T20 production rather than isolated cameos.
Abhishek Sharma’s IPL Career
Sharma entered the IPL as a teenager.
He was bought by Delhi Daredevils in the 2018 auction for ₹55 lakh and made his IPL debut that season. His early IPL opportunities were limited, but the experience introduced him to the highest level of domestic T20 cricket in India.
His career changed after moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad. With SRH, he increasingly became an opening batter and developed a much more aggressive batting role.
The transformation became particularly visible in IPL 2024, when Sharma emerged as one of the tournament’s most destructive powerplay hitters.
Abhishek Sharma’s 141 in IPL 2025
One of the defining innings of Sharma’s career came on 12 April 2025, when Sunrisers Hyderabad chased 246 against Punjab Kings.
Sharma scored 141 from 55 balls, producing one of the most explosive innings in IPL history. His innings was central to SRH completing the second-highest successful chase in IPL history at that point.
The 141 also became the highest individual IPL score by an Indian batter at the time.
The innings demonstrated several characteristics that became associated with Sharma’s batting:
- aggressive powerplay hitting
- exceptional six-hitting ability
- willingness to attack pace and spin
- high scoring rate without relying solely on boundaries
- ability to maintain an attacking tempo over a long innings
Abhishek Sharma’s 2025 Asia Cup Breakthrough
The 2025 Asia Cup was a major turning point in Sharma’s international career.
He scored 314 runs in seven matches, averaging 44.85 and striking at 200. India won the tournament, while Sharma was named Player of the Tournament.
His performances also had a major effect on the ICC T20I rankings.
During the tournament, Sharma reached 931 rating points, establishing a new record for the highest rating points achieved by a batter in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings. The previous record was 919, held by England’s Dawid Malan.
He subsequently won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for September 2025 after his Asia Cup performances.
Abhishek Sharma’s T20I Debut for India
Sharma made his India T20I debut against Zimbabwe on 6 July 2024 in Harare.
His first international match did not produce a major score, but he responded immediately in the second match of the series.
On 7 July 2024, he scored his maiden T20I century, reaching three figures from 46 balls. The innings came in only his second T20I.
That hundred was an early indication that Sharma’s aggressive domestic style could translate to international cricket.
Abhishek Sharma’s 135 Against England
On 2 February 2025, Sharma produced another major international innings against England.
He scored 135, his highest T20I score at that stage, and struck 13 sixes. The innings established him as one of India’s most aggressive T20I opening options. Current statistical records list 135 as his T20I career high prior to his later 108 against Afghanistan.
His ability to score rapidly against high-quality international attacks became an increasingly important part of his profile.
Abhishek Sharma at the 2026 T20 World Cup
Sharma was part of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
He scored 141 runs during the tournament at a strike rate of 158.43, according to current career-statistical records.
The tournament was followed by an inconsistent international period, including a difficult Zimbabwe series. His subsequent performances demonstrated the volatile nature of an ultra-aggressive opening role.
Abhishek Sharma’s IPL 2026 Season
Sharma continued with Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026.
He scored 563 runs in 15 matches, with a strike rate above 200 according to current IPL statistics. He also recorded a century during the season.
His 2026 IPL campaign included a spectacular 135 from 68 balls against Delhi Capitals on 21 April 2026, an innings containing 10 fours and 10 sixes.
His sustained production confirmed that his attacking approach was not limited to a single breakthrough season.
Abhishek Sharma’s 2026 Afghanistan Series
The latest major chapter in Sharma’s career came in India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in September 2026.
He scored:
- 82 off 32 balls in the first T20I
- 39 off 19 balls in the second T20I
- 108 off 34 balls in the third T20I
He therefore finished the series with 229 runs, an average of 76.33 and a strike rate of 269.41. He was named Player of the Series.
Abhishek Sharma’s Fastest T20I Century
The third Afghanistan T20I produced one of the biggest records of Sharma’s career.
He scored 108 from 34 balls, including nine fours and 11 sixes. He reached his century from only 30 balls.
The 30-ball century broke Rohit Sharma’s previous Indian T20I record of 35 balls.
According to the BCCI, it was also the fastest T20I century by a batter against a Test-playing nation. Overall, it ranked behind only the 27-ball and 29-ball centuries by Sahil Chauhan and Muhammad Fahad, respectively, for non-full-member nations.
The innings also gave Sharma the first and second positions among Indian batters for sixes in a T20I innings: his 11 against Afghanistan followed his earlier record of 13 against England.
Abhishek Sharma’s Batting Style
Sharma is a left-handed opening batter whose game is built around attacking intent.
His strongest characteristics include:
- aggressive powerplay batting
- strong hitting through the leg side
- exceptional six-hitting
- willingness to attack spin early
- rapid scoring against pace
- ability to maintain an unusually high strike rate
- confidence in playing high-risk attacking shots
His T20 approach is particularly suited to modern powerplay cricket, where teams increasingly prioritize maximizing the first six overs.
At the same time, his career has shown that such an aggressive approach can produce periods of inconsistency. His development has therefore involved balancing his natural attacking instincts with innings construction and consistency.
Abhishek Sharma as a Bowler
Although his reputation is overwhelmingly built around batting, Sharma is also a slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
He has contributed with the ball in domestic cricket and for India when required. His current T20I bowling record lists 10 wickets, with best figures of 3/17, achieved against Zimbabwe in July 2026.
He is therefore best described as a batting all-rounder rather than a specialist bowler.
Abhishek Sharma Career Statistics
Current statistical listings give the following broad career picture:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 59 | 1,858 | 135 | 3 | 12 |
| IPL | 92 | 2,379 | 141 | 2 | 13 |
| First-class | 24 | 1,071 | 100 | 1 | 5 |
| List A | 70 | 2,225 | 170 | 4 | 8 |
Current listings also record 10 T20I wickets and 11 IPL wickets.
Because live cricket databases can update at different times and may temporarily disagree, official scorecards should be treated as the final authority for a particular match or record.
Abhishek Sharma Major Records and Achievements
Some of the most important milestones in Sharma’s career include:
- India Under-19 captain in the 2016 Youth Asia Cup.
- Member of India’s 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad.
- IPL debut in 2018.
- Maiden T20I century against Zimbabwe in 2024.
- 135 against England in 2025.
- 141 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.
- Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Asia Cup after scoring 314 runs.
- ICC T20I batting-rating record of 931 points in 2025.
- 563 runs in IPL 2026.
- 108 from 34 balls against Afghanistan in September 2026.
- Fastest T20I century by an Indian batter: 30 balls.
- 229 runs in three matches against Afghanistan in September 2026.
Abhishek Sharma and Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh has played an important mentoring role in Sharma’s development.
Indian Express reported that Yuvraj worked extensively with Sharma during the previous several years and helped him refine his batting. Sharma’s father also credited Yuvraj’s work with his son’s progress.
The connection is particularly interesting because both are left-handed Indian batters from Punjab with strong six-hitting reputations. However, Sharma’s career should be evaluated on his own performances rather than simply through comparisons with his mentor.
Abhishek Sharma’s Current Cricket Status
As of 21 September 2026, Sharma remains an active Indian international cricketer and Sunrisers Hyderabad player.
His most recent international assignment was the September 2026 T20I series against Afghanistan, where his 229 runs made him Player of the Series. His final match of that series produced his record-setting 108 from 34 balls.
He therefore enters the next phase of his career with a combination of established IPL production, significant international experience and several major T20 records.
What Makes Abhishek Sharma Important to Indian Cricket?
Sharma’s career represents the development of a modern T20 opening batter through India’s domestic and franchise systems.
His pathway is notable because it contains several distinct stages:
Punjab age-group cricket → India Under-19 → IPL development → domestic T20 breakthrough → India debut → international breakthrough → Asia Cup stardom → continued IPL production → record-breaking T20I performances.
His ability to combine left-handed opening batting with occasional left-arm spin gives teams an additional tactical option.
The defining feature of his game, however, remains his batting. His 141 in IPL 2025, 135 against England, 314-run Asia Cup campaign and 30-ball T20I century against Afghanistan illustrate how dramatically he can influence a match when his attacking game succeeds.
Abhishek Sharma Career Timeline
2000: Born in Amritsar, Punjab.
2015-16: Major age-group breakthrough, including a prolific Vijay Merchant Trophy campaign.
2016: Captained India Under-19 at the Youth Asia Cup.
2017: Made his first-class debut for Punjab.
2018: Part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning squad and made his IPL debut for Delhi Daredevils.
2024: Established himself as a major IPL performer and made his India T20I debut against Zimbabwe. He scored his maiden international century in his second T20I.
2025: Scored 135 against England, made 141 in the IPL against Punjab Kings and became the 2025 Asia Cup Player of the Tournament after scoring 314 runs.
2026: Scored 563 runs in IPL 2026, represented India at the T20 World Cup and later produced 229 runs in three T20Is against Afghanistan.
September 2026: Hit a 30-ball T20I century against Afghanistan, breaking India’s previous record for the fastest T20I hundred.
Frequently Asked Questions About Abhishek Sharma
How old is Abhishek Sharma?
Abhishek Sharma was born on 4 September 2000 and is 26 years old as of September 2026.
Where was Abhishek Sharma born?
He was born in Amritsar, Punjab, India.
What is Abhishek Sharma’s batting style?
He is a left-handed batter.
What is Abhishek Sharma’s bowling style?
He bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin.
Which IPL team does Abhishek Sharma play for?
He plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
When did Abhishek Sharma make his India debut?
He made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe on 6 July 2024.
What is Abhishek Sharma’s highest T20I score?
His highest T20I score is 135 against England, according to current statistical records.
How many T20I centuries does Abhishek Sharma have?
Current statistics list three T20I centuries. His latest was 108 from 34 balls against Afghanistan in September 2026.
How fast was Abhishek Sharma’s fastest T20I century?
He reached his century in 30 balls against Afghanistan in September 2026, making it the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter.
What was Abhishek Sharma’s score in the 2025 Asia Cup?
He scored 314 runs in seven matches and was named Player of the Tournament.
Who is Abhishek Sharma’s mentor?
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has played a significant mentoring role in his batting development.
Is Abhishek Sharma an all-rounder?
Yes. He is classified as an all-rounder because he contributes as a left-handed batter and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, although his primary impact has been with the bat. ICC lists him as an all-rounder.
Conclusion
Abhishek Sharma’s cricket journey reflects a rapid rise from Punjab’s age-group system to the international stage. After representing India at Under-19 level and becoming part of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, he developed his game through domestic cricket and the IPL before establishing himself as an important T20I batter for India.
His explosive left-handed batting has produced several defining performances, including his 141 for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025, his outstanding 2025 Asia Cup campaign and his record-breaking 30-ball T20I century against Afghanistan in 2026. Alongside his batting, his ability to contribute with left-arm orthodox spin adds another dimension to his all-round cricket profile.
With his combination of power, attacking intent, domestic experience and growing international record, Abhishek Sharma has become one of the notable young names in Indian T20 cricket. His career is still developing, and future IPL seasons and international campaigns will add further chapters to a journey that has already included major records and memorable performances.