Fri Dec 06 01:41:46 UTC 2024: ## Punjab Opener Abhishek Sharma Blasts Century in Record-Breaking Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Day
**Rajkot/Various Venues:** The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) witnessed a flurry of record-breaking performances on Thursday. Punjab’s Abhishek Sharma stole the show, smashing a breathtaking century off just 29 balls against Meghalaya. His innings, studded with 11 sixes and 8 fours, propelled Punjab to a resounding victory, chasing down Meghalaya’s 142 runs in a mere 9.3 overs. Sharma’s 106 runs came at a staggering strike rate of 365.52, tying the record for the fastest T20 century by an Indian batsman alongside Urvil Patel.
In another astonishing display, Baroda set a new world record for the highest ever T20 score, amassing a colossal 349 runs against Sikkim. This surpassed Zimbabwe’s previous record of 344 runs set in October this year. Bhanu Pania led the charge for Baroda with an unbeaten 134 runs, including 15 sixes.
Adding to the day’s excitement, Uttar Pradesh’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed a hat-trick against Jharkhand, conceding only 6 runs in his 4 overs. While Jharkhand ultimately fell short by 10 runs, scoring 150, Kumar’s impressive feat marked the fourth hat-trick of this SMAT season.
Abhishek Sharma’s remarkable innings marks his fourth SMAT century, making him the tournament’s leading century-maker. While the fastest T20 century overall still belongs to Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan (27 balls), Sharma and Patel now jointly hold the record for the fastest century by an Indian batsman in T20 cricket.
First Piper 