Rohit Sharma lit up the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on the eve of Diwali on Tuesday with a record century against the Windies to seal the T20 International series with a match to go and along the way became India's leading run scorer in the format.

Photo credit: ICC/Twitter

Put into bat first, Sharma made a slow start playing out the first over as a maiden but that was the best it could get for the Windies bowlers on the day. The Indian captain went on to hammer an unbeaten 111 off just 61 balls at a strike rate of 181.96, helped by 8 fours and 7 sixes. He brought his fifty in 38 balls, and from there he plundered 60 runs in the next 23 balls.

Rohit Sharma is the first player to score a century after playing out a maiden in T20I cricket.

Brendon McCullum played last four balls of a maiden over during his 116* against Australia in 2010. #INDvWI

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 6, 2018

"Whenever you get opportunity, you try and do well," said Sharma, who was picked up as an Icon Player by ARCS Andheri in the inaugural T20 Mumbai league earlier this year. "Everyone will go home smiling. That's what we play for. Glad we could win the game and win the series."

It's #Hitman Dhamaka #IndvWI Nelson is unlucky, for the Windies!! Rohit Sharma. #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/qTeiwmeLux

— Prabhu ‏ (@Cricprabhu) November 6, 2018

आज तो आग लगा डाला आपने। Whatta display of batting @imro45. 🙌🏻🏏 #INDvWI #HappyDiwali

— surya77 (@surya_14kumar) November 6, 2018

On a #Diwali day what more can the fans ask for. Fireworks🔥 🎇 from the bat of @ImRo45 resulting in his 4th T20 💯 - The Most by any in International T20's. #INDvWI

— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) November 6, 2018

He became the first player to hit four centuries and the first skipper to score two in T20Is and then went on to take three catches as the Caribbean side could only manage 124/9 in response to India's daunting 195/2. Surpassing Colin Munro's tally of three tons, Sharma's score is now the best unbeaten score for his team.

Hundreds in Twenty20 Internationals:
Rohit Sharma - 4
All other Indians - 3#INDvWI #IndvWIN

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) November 6, 2018

4th century by Rohit Sharma in T20Is - most by any batsman. Two of them have come in the last three innings. He also missed one by three runs this year - 97 vs Ireland in Malahide. #BeastForm

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 6, 2018

Rohit Sharma:

Most ODI 200s - 3
Most T20I 100s - 4

Legend of limited-overs cricket! #IndvWI

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 6, 2018

With Shikhar Dhawan at the other end, Sharma forged a 123-run partnership for the opening wicket, the highest for India for any wicket against Windies in T20Is. The pair have now scored 1268 runs together in T20Is, the most by any duo.

During the course of his innings, Sharma also emerged as the highest run scorer for India in T20Is, surpassing the mercurial Virat Kohli's tally. Among the country's top five run-scorers, Sharma also holds the best strike rate. It's little wonder as the 31-year-old has now recorded the most number of sixes in international cricket in a calendar year and most number of maximums in India in T20Is.

What a player @ImRo45 🎇🎇#INDvWI pic.twitter.com/Ig7UhubLxI

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 6, 2018

Most T20I centuries (4)
Most T20I 50+ scores (19)
Most Int sixes in a year (69)
Most T20I pship runs (1268)
Most T20I runs by Asian

Records Rohit Sharma broke, incredible numbers. Congratulations to India skipper on brilliant batting & T20I series win. @ImRo45 #INDvWI #Cricket

— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) November 6, 2018

No one else was as clear cut contender for the Man of the Match award than Sharma as India won by 71 runs as the skipper led from the front.

Rohit Sharma has now led India in 11 T20Is, won 10, lost 1.#INDvWI #INDvsWI

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) November 6, 2018

Hitman @ImRo45 all smiles as he receives the Paytm Man of the Match award for his brilliant knock of 111*#INDvWI pic.twitter.com/NnCejRrMnz

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 6, 2018