India opener Abhishek Sharma delivered a historic performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26, smashing a 12-ball half-century for Punjab—matching the legendary feat of his mentor Yuvraj Singh, who hit a 12-ball fifty during the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Abhishek achieved the milestone against Bengal at the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad on November 30. His explosive knock put him in elite company, registering the joint-third-fastest fifty and the joint-second-fastest by an Indian in men’s T20 cricket.
32-Ball Hundred and Record-Breaking Carnage
The 25-year-old didn’t stop there. He powered his way to a 32-ball century, hammering 7 fours and 11 sixes—making it the joint fourth-fastest T20 hundred by an Indian. Abhishek already holds the joint-fastest T20 century by an Indian, scoring a 28-ball ton for Punjab in the 2024 edition of SMAT.
Punjab Pile Up 310/5 – Second-Highest in SMAT History
Abhishek stitched a massive 205-run opening stand with Prabhsimran Singh, who contributed a blistering 70 off 35 balls. Abhishek was eventually dismissed for a breathtaking 148 off 52 balls, studded with eight fours and 16 sixes.
Punjab ended with a monumental 310/5 in 20 overs—the second-highest team total in SMAT history and the fourth-highest T20 score ever.
Lower-order cameos from Ramandeep Singh (39 off 15) and Sanvir Singh (22 off 8) added to the carnage.
Bengal Bowlers Have a Tough Day
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami had a difficult outing, conceding 61 runs in his four overs. Akash Deep (2/55) and Writtick Chatterjee (0/67) also struggled to contain Punjab’s onslaught.
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