Cricket
Fastest Hundreds in Cricket Across All Formats
The fastest hundred in cricket is by Chris Gayle in T20 format. Gayle scored a hundred in 30 balls in IPL 2013.
AB de Villiers of the Proteas//Getty Images
Scoring a century in cricket is no mean feat, and it represents a significant milestone. It is always a special feeling for a batsman when it happens. Getting there requires a mix of skill, concentration, and, of course, a dose of luck.
At SportsBoom, we’re always looking to provide a fresh angle on things. In this guide, we will take a deep dive and explore the players who claimed a ton off the fewest deliveries across all formats.
We’re going to review the players who scored the fastest centuries in Test cricket, ODIs, and T20s. What is the fastest hundred in cricket history? We have highlighted our findings by putting them in a table, and we have also provided a series of mini profiles on the top 5 players who cemented their place in each format.
Presenting the Fastest Hundred in ODI Players
ODIs have become more inventive in terms of the types of shots adopted. Reverse sweeps, pulls, and beautifully executed cover drives have all become textbook strokes deployed by batsmen.
The methodology for this was simple. We used authoritative sources to check and cross-reference the players who produced sublime innings in the ODI arena. Our table reveals who scored the fastest hundred in ODIs.
AB de Villiers of South Africa//Getty Images
A Table of the Quickest ODI Tons
| Player | Runs | Balls | 6s | 4s | Match | Date |
| AB de Villiers | 149 | 31 | 16 | 9 | South Africa vs West Indies | 18/01/2015 |
| CJ Anderson | 131* | 36 | 14 | 6 | New Zealand vs West Indies | 01/01/2014 |
| Shahid Afridi | 102 | 37 | 11 | 6 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 04/10/1996 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 106 | 40 | 8 | 9 | Australia vs Netherlands | 25/10/2023 |
| Asif Khan | 101* | 42 | 11 | 4 | UAE vs Nepal | 16/03/2023 |
An * indicates a player who enjoyed an unbeaten knock during their innings
AB de Villiers (149* for South Africa vs West Indies – 2015)
An explosive player by nature, AB de Villiers was breathtaking against the West Indies in 2015.
Previously, Chris Gayle, who was once described as one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world, was among the previous record holders for scoring the fastest hundred in an ODI, scoring a century in 55 balls against England in 2019.
But De Villiers had other ideas and obliterated Gayle’s incredible innings. The South African was in free-flowing form, and he admitted that when he got into the nineties, he wasn’t going to “start taking singles”.
De Villiers reached his half-century off just 16 balls, and he showed off his complete repertoire of strokes on his way to an unbeaten knock of 149. Apart from De Villiers, openers Hashim Amla and Rillie Rossouw also made centuries, and South Africa wound up on 439/2, their highest-ever score in ODIs. Truly incredible!
CJ Anderson (131* for New Zealand vs West Indies – 2014)
The West Indies have been on the wrong side of some big ODI totals in the past, and they have incurred the wrath of batsmen who weren’t prepared to show them any mercy.
Put CJ Anderson in that category. Before De Villiers came along and shattered the record, Anderson’s swashbuckling innings were a pure joy to watch. Anderson was savage as he raced to a century in just 36 balls.
Along with Jesse Ryder, Anderson and the Black Caps amassed 283 in just over 21 overs. The West Indies struggled in response, finishing on 124/5 as New Zealand claimed a 59-run win, although the victory was made more impressive given weather affected the match.
Shahid Afridi (102 for Pakistan vs Sri Lanka – 1996)
Cast your mind back nearly 30 years ago, and Shahid Afridi was tearing up things on the ODI scene.
To be more precise, Afridi was playing in just his second ODI match for Pakistan, and it was his first with the bat against Sri Lanka. One of the most iconic moments in ODI cricket, which came in the KCA Century Tournament in Nairobi, Afridi exhibited his prowess for big hitting, launching 11 sixes.
Sanath Jayasuriya, who was a bit of an all-rounder, felt the full force of Afridi as he was dispatched for 28 from a single over.
Before Anderson came along and stole Afridi’s record, Afridi’s innings were remarkable because if you blinked, you would have missed it!
Glenn Maxwell (106 for Australia vs Netherlands – 2023)
This was perhaps the most significant century on this list. Australia, who have won the most ODI World Cups (six in total), were in devastating form at the 2023 World Cup.
They ended up winning that edition, defeating the hosts India in the final, but the Netherlands were like lambs to the slaughter. Glenn Maxwell set the tone with 106, which he brought up in 40 balls, and the Netherlands slumped to just 90 in response, suffering a 309-run loss.
Maxwell stole the show, but David Warner, who was also known for big scores, hit a ton too, albeit his innings was a bit more pedestrian, coming in 93 balls.
Asif Khan (101* for UAE vs Nepal – 2023)
While a World Cup qualifier doesn’t usually merit much attention, Asif Khan made cricket fans sit up and take notice against Nepal.
Khan struck an unbeaten 101 from just 42 deliveries, and while at the time, it was the fourth-fastest hundred in ODI cricket, it ultimately proved to be vain as Nepal sealed their World Cup spot by snatching a win with the light dying.
Nepal are currently locked in the 2023-2027 cycle to qualify for the next World Cup.
Who has the fastest hundred in Test cricket?
Test cricket, for the purists, is often seen as the ultimate challenge in cricket. Being patient and grinding out runs in the longest format is often seen as the most reliable yardstick for which to measure the quality of a batsman.
We have rummaged through the archives and dug out the records for the swiftest centuries scored in the Test game. As Test cricket is the slowest of all formats, we based our methodology on the number of balls faced to make things fairer.
England Men's Red Ball Head Coach, Brendon McCullum//Getty Images
A Table of the Quickest Test Tons
| Player | Balls Faced | Match | Location | Season |
| BB McCullum | 54 | New Zealand vs Australia | Christchurch | 2015/16 |
| IVA Richards | 56 | West Indies vs England | St John’s | 1985/86 |
| Misbah Ul-Haq | 56 | Pakistan vs Australia | Abu Dhabi | 2014/15 |
| AC Gilchrist | 57 | Australia vs England | Perth | 2006/07 |
| JM Gregory | 67 | Australia vs South Africa | Johannesburg | 1921/22 |
Brendon McCullum
(54-ball century for New Zealand vs Australia – Christchurch)
There isn’t much love lost between Australia and New Zealand, and the two countries often like to tease each other in a way that siblings like to do.
Anyway, Brendon McCullum, who was playing his final Test for New Zealand, didn’t have the fairytale ending he was hoping for. McCullum was quite expressive in all formats of the game, and he set the record for the fastest Test century, as it came off just 54 balls.
Although he had to weather the storm, he bagged 145 runs from 79 balls, however, New Zealand crashed to a seven-wicket defeat in the second of two Tests, but they were to get revenge in the ODI series.
IVA Richards
(56-ball century for West Indies vs England – St John’s)
A focal point of the formidable West Indies side in the 1980s, Viv Richards was a giant in Test cricket, and he churned out over 8,500 runs during his career.
Most sides feared the Windies, and with good reason. England found that out when they visited St John’s. After a disappointing first innings by his standards, Richards made up for things by surging to an unbeaten 110 from just 58 balls, and his century came off 56 deliveries.
As captain, Richards always led from the front, and his knock was sheer class. Unsurprisingly, he was named Man of the Match, and Richards, at the time, broke the record for most sixes in an innings for the Windies (seven), eclipsing the record he previously set (six).
Misbah Ul-Haq
(56-ball century for Pakistan vs Australia – Abu Dhabi)
Misbah Ul-Haq was one of the most ruthless batters in Test cricket, and Australia found that out to their cost in 2014.
Ul-Haq was captaining the Pakistan side, and in the first innings of the second Test, he shone, rattling off three figures inside 56 balls to equal Richards’ longstanding record.
What was even more impressive was that Ul-Haq’s half-century came off just 21 balls. When he departed after being caught and bowled by Steve Smith, Pakistan was in a commanding position, and eventually, they declared on 570/6.
It was Ul-Haq who provided the platform for victory, and Pakistan won by a whopping 376 runs.
AC Gilchrist
(57-ball century for Australia vs England – Perth)
Adam Gilchrist wasn’t just a superb batsman. No, he was also one of the best wicketkeepers of all time, claiming 905 dismissals and 813 catches behind the stumps.
With a bat in hand, Gilchrist was destructive. The Ashes is undoubtedly one of cricket’s greatest rivalries, and it is also one of the oldest. Some players fold in a pressure-cooker environment, but not Gilchrist.
Although he fell for a duck in the first innings, Gilchrist made up for lost time with 102 not out from just 59 balls. The century came off just 57 balls and featured four sixes. At the time, it was the second-fastest century in Test cricket, and it was a mesmerising display.
What was even more remarkable was that Gilchrist had a chance to eclipse Richards’ record when he reached 96 off 53 balls. Nevertheless, Gilchrist put Australia in pole position, and after winning the third Test, the hosts went on to claim a whitewash, winning the series 5-0 to reclaim the little urn.
JM Gregory
(67-ball century for Australia vs South Africa – Johannesburg)
Wrapping up this list is another Aussie, this time Jack Gregory, but don’t worry if you haven’t heard of him.
His 67-ball century against South Africa arrived in 1921, and his stunning innings included 19 fours, but he was outshone by captain Herbie Collins, who clobbered 203 runs.
Gregory also weighed in with five wickets, underlining his capability with the ball, and this match ended in a draw. However, it didn’t make it onto our list of top cricket matches that ended in a tie given how long ago it happened!
Who has scored the Fastest Hundred in T20 internationals?
T20s is cricket’s most explosive format, and it has been popularised by the success of domestic tournaments, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Like Tests, we have assessed the fastest hundreds in T20 matches based on the number of balls faced, which is the most suitable metric. We have used authoritative sources to confirm the accuracy of the stats.
Chris Gayle of West Indies//Getty Images
A Table of the Quickest T20 Centuries
| Player | Balls Faced | Match | Venue | Year |
| Sahil Chauhan | 27 | Estonia vs Cyprus | Episkopi | 2024 |
| Urvil Patel | 28 | Gujarat vs Tripura | Indore | 2024 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 28 | Punjab vs Meghalaya | Saurashtra | 2024 |
| CH Gayle | 30 | Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors | Bangalore | 2013 |
| RR Pant | 32 | Delhi vs Himachal Pradesh | Delhi | 2018 |
Sahil Chauhan
(27-ball century for Estonia vs Cyprus – 2024)
Who knew that Estonia played cricket? Sahil Chauhan tops the list for the fastest T20 hundred and the fastest hundred in cricket history with his extraordinary effort against Cyprus.
Not only that, but Chauhan’s century featured 18 sixes, the most in a T20 innings. Take a bow!
Urvil Patel
(28-ball century for Gujarat vs Tripura – 2024)
The Gujarat wicketkeeper who went unsold in the IPL auction in 2024 opened the batting for Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Tripura, and he caught the eye.
Patel rattled off a century in just 28 balls, but he was pipped to the fastest T20 century by Chauhan.
Abhishek Sharma
(28-ball century for Punjab vs Meghalaya – 2024)
Representing the fastest T20 hundred by an Indian, Abhishek Sharma, who has been known for being a bit of a showman, produced extraordinary innings during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
The left-hander bludgeoned 106 from just 29 balls, and he grabbed a century in just 28 deliveries. Punjab were set a modest target of 143, but with Sharma at the crease in full flow, there was never a danger of them falling short!
CH Gayle
(30-ball century for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors – 2013)
While Chris Gayle quietly walked away from the international game, Chris Gayle has blazed a trail in the IPL, and he has made a huge impact.
In 2013, Gayle took the game away from the Pune Warriors with his monstrous hitting. He was a man on a mission, and he chalked up a century in just 30 balls before finishing on 175 not out.
Gayle, who holds the highest individual score in IPL history, scored over 4,900 runs during his illustrious career on the sub-continent, and he relished the short format.
RR Pant
(32-ball century for Delhi vs Himachal Pradesh – 2018)
Rishabh Pant completes the list of T20 fastest hundred scores, and this came in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
He proved to be instrumental as he brought up his century in just 32 balls before firing an unbeaten 116 as Delhi motored to an emphatic 10-wicket win over Himachal Pradesh. Pant has gone on to be a big star for his country.
Conclusion
In summary, the players referenced have all achieved something extraordinary. Scoring a century is something that shouldn’t be belittled, but to do so in record-quick time deserves plenty of credit. It remains to be seen whether any of these records will be broken, but we will monitor things.
FAQs
From our records, Sahil Chauhan has scored the quickest century in cricket history, and he achieved that in just 27 balls for Estonia against Cyprus in 2024.
AB de Villiers has not only scored the fastest century in ODIs, but he has scored more centuries than any other player in this format on this list with 25.
REFERENCES
- 1
AB De Villiers sets new record for fastest hundred in ODIs: De Villiers reflects on his incredible knock against the West Indies - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/30870493 Accessed March 25, 2025
- 2
Cricket World Cup qualifiers 2023-2027 cycle: Nepal are trying to qualify for the next ODI World Cup - https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/eight-team-cwc-league-2-begins-in-nepal-on-the-road-to-2027?appview=true Accessed March 25, 2025
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Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.