Abhishek Sharma’s 113 off 38 breaks record for sixes in a year

Abhishek Sharma hit 113 off 38 balls in Wellington, with eleven sixes, as India beat New Zealand by six wickets on 27 October and sealed the T20I series. The innings took him to 85 sixes in 2026, past the 80 hit by Rohit Sharma in 2023.

The innings and the record

New Zealand made 198/3 in their 20 overs. India replied with 199/4 in 13.2 overs. Rohit’s 80 had been the previous best for a calendar year by a Full Member batter, and the Tribune reports that the Amritsar-born opener now holds the world record in that category.

It was not Sharma’s first landmark of the year. Earlier in 2026 he hit the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter, reaching three figures in 30 balls against Afghanistan in New Delhi.

Back to No. 1

The ICC’s latest men’s rankings update has returned Sharma to the top of the T20I batting list, displacing his India teammate Ishan Kishan.

His father, Raj Kumar Sharma, dedicated the century to the birth anniversary of Guru Ram Das, which was observed on the day of the match, the Tribune reports.

Series picture and what’s next

India have won all three T20Is in the New Zealand vs India T20I Series 2026: by four wickets on 22 October, by four wickets on 24 October, and by six wickets on 27 October. The fourth T20I is on Friday, 30 October at 12:30 PM IST, with the fifth on Sunday, 1 November at 12:30 PM IST.

The ODI series follows, with its first match on Wednesday, 4 November at 7:30 AM IST.