Scoring a century in cricket is a remarkable feat but reaching the milestone in record time is an extraordinary achievement The fastest centuries in different formats of the game showcase the sheer dominance skill and aggression of the batsmen Lets take a look at the fastest centuries in Test One Day International ODI and T20 International cricket
Fastest Century in Test Cricket
The record for the fastest century in Test cricket belongs to Brendon McCullum of New Zealand He achieved this feat in just 54 balls against Australia in Christchurch in 2016 This innings was particularly special because it was McCullum’s farewell Test match His aggressive approach not only entertained fans but also redefined Test cricket’s attacking playstyle
Notable Mentions in Test Cricket
Viv Richards 56 balls – Against England in 1986
Misbah ul Haq 56 balls – Against Australia in 2014
Adam Gilchrist 57 balls – Against England in 2006
Fastest Century in ODI Cricket
The fastest century in One Day Internationals ODIs is held by AB de Villiers of South Africa He smashed a century in just 31 balls against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015 His innings included 16 sixes and 9 fours making it one of the most explosive knocks in cricket history
Other Fastest Centuries in ODIs
Corey Anderson 36 balls – Against West Indies in 2014
Shahid Afridi 37 balls – Against Sri Lanka in 1996
Mark Boucher 44 balls – Against Zimbabwe in 2006
Fastest Century in T20 International Cricket
The fastest century in T20I cricket was recorded by Sahil Chauhan of Estonia who scored a century in just 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024 He hit an astonishing 18 sixes in the innings making it the most destructive knock in T20I history
Other Notable Fastest Centuries in T20I
David Miller 35 balls – Against Bangladesh in 2017
Rohit Sharma 35 balls – Against Sri Lanka in 2017
Suryakumar Yadav 45 balls – Against Sri Lanka in 2023
Fastest Century in T20 Leagues IPL and Domestic Cricket
Chris Gayle 30 balls – Holds the record for the fastest century in IPL history He achieved this in 2013 while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India His unbeaten 175 run innings remains one of the greatest in T20 cricket
Rishabh Pant 32 balls – Scored a 32 ball century in India’s domestic T20 tournament Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Significance of Fastest Centuries in Cricket
Scoring a quick century is not just about personal records it significantly impacts the game’s momentum Players who achieve such milestones
Put immense pressure on the opposition
Boost their team’s confidence and scoring rate
Change the game’s course in a short span
With the rise of T20 cricket and aggressive gameplay we might witness even faster centuries in the coming years
Conclusion
The fastest centuries in cricket history highlight the evolution of the game From Test cricket’s calculated aggression to ODI and T20 cricket’s explosive batting these records showcase the brilliance of modern cricketers Whether it’s McCullum’s farewell Test knock de Villiers’ ODI carnage or Gayle’s IPL dominance these performances have left an everlasting impact on cricket fans wo
rldwide
Who do you think will break the next record Let us know in the comments