How did Yuvraj Singh influence Abhishek Sharma's performance in the final T20I?

Yuvraj Singh advised Abhishek Sharma to bide his time and rotate the strike, encouraging him to take singles if the ball was not in his hitting range.

Why is Abhishek Sharma considered one of India's key T20 batting options?

Abhishek Sharma's explosive performance against Afghanistan, scoring 229 runs with a strike rate of 269.41 in the series, reinforced his status as a vital player in T20 cricket.

Yuvraj Singh ‘texted’ Abhishek Sharma, a day later he responded with record-breaking century

Q: What record did Abhishek Sharma break with his 30-ball century against Afghanistan?

Abhishek Sharma set the record for the fastest-ever T20I century by a player from a Full Member Nation of the ICC, beating Rohit Sharma's previous record.

Abhishek Sharma revealed that he received a text from Yuvraj Singh ahead of the third and final T20I against Afghanistan.

Updated on: Sep 18, 2026, 11:39:18 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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Abhishek Sharma smashed the record books on Thursday evening, smashing the fastest-ever T20I century by a player from a Full Member Nation of the ICC. The left-handed batter recorded a 30-ball century in the third and final T20I against Afghanistan, helping him beat Rohit Sharma's record of fastest century by an Indian. The eventual 102-run knock helped the Men in Blue post in excess of 220 runs.

Abhishek Sharma revealed that he received a text from Yuvraj Singh (Rahul Singh)

After winning the Player of the Match in New Delhi, Abhishek revealed that he received a text from his mentor, Yuvraj Singh, ahead of the final T20I, asking him to bide his time in the middle and rotate the strike if the ball is not in his hitting range.

The 26-year-old had a series to remember against Afghanistan, registering scores of 82, 39 and 108. In all three games, Abhishek provided a fast start to the Men in Blue, setting a solid base for India to launch an onslaught, and he didn't show any weakness, hammering both the pacers and spinners all around the park.

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Also Read: Abhishek Sharma hits back at critics after 30-ball century: ‘One or two bad series won’t define us’

“And in the last match, I only got a text from him that I shouldn’t be forcing all the balls. Specifically in these conditions, if I just take one or two singles in between, it’s not, you know, in my slot. I can take a single as well,” Abhishek told the broadcasters.

“But obviously, sir always wants me to play long, and I always have it in my mind that if I give the team such a start, obviously, when we are on the winning side, that is always in my mind,” he added.

More about Abhishek

Abhishek entered the series against Afghanistan under pressure after enduring a horrid time in Zimbabwe. The runs had dried up for the left-hander, and with the opening conundrum, the pressure was on him to deliver.

However, Abhishek responded with 229 runs in the three matches, including his third T20I century for the Men in Blue. It was also his second ton, coming off fewer than 40 deliveries.

Speaking of the third and final T20I, India registered a win by 127 runs after posting 221/7 in 20 overs. Afghanistan were bowled out for 94 after Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi scalped three wickets each.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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