Abhishek Sharma breaks unwanted T20 duck record against Japan

Only five days ago, Abhishek Sharma was celebrating one of the biggest records of his career.

Against Japan, he created another piece of T20 history, but this time for all the wrong reasons.

The Indian opener was dismissed for a golden duck in Tuesday's historic T20I in Sano. He faced just one delivery before top edging Charlie Hara Hinze to Shoma Sugaya Slater.

It was his 10th duck across all T20 cricket in 2026, the most by any player in a single calendar year. He moved past Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, who recorded nine in 2019, and Pakistan's Shadab Khan, who had nine in 2024.

The contrast is quite remarkable.

Just five days earlier, Abhishek smashed 108 from only 34 balls against Afghanistan in New Delhi, reaching his century from just 30 deliveries.

It was the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian, breaking Rohit Sharma's previous record of 35 balls, and the third fastest men's T20I century overall.

So within five days, the 26 year old went from a record 30 ball century to a first ball duck and another record he certainly would not have wanted.

His dismissal also set the tone for a surprisingly difficult afternoon for India, where the match was reduced to five overs because of rain.

India managed only 32 for four in five overs before Japan came remarkably close to a historic upset, finishing on 30 for three as India escaped with a two run victory. There was a wide-ball controversy as well in the final over.

For Abhishek, 2026 has certainly been a year of extremes.