Fastest Century in Cricket – The Quickest ODI, T20 and Test Centuries

Let’s take a look, who made the fastest centuries by the number of balls faced in each of the three international cricket formats.

Also, double centuries are even more of a feat, so who scored the fastest double centuries in test and ODI cricket? Read on to find out!

Fastest Century in ODI

As with all of the records on this list, the statistics relating to fastest centuries are correct as of January 2022. Milestones in these instances are usually rated in terms of balls faced as opposed to minutes at the crease. This is a fairer way to assess fastest hundreds as a batsman’s scoring speed could be affected by losing the strike or any unavoidable delays such as an injury to a fielder.

1. AB De Villiers

AB De Villiers is the man who currently holds the record for the fastest century in One Day International Cricket. The South African made his hundred from just 31 balls when his side took on the West Indies at Johannesburg in 2015.
De Villiers’ innings contained eight fours and 16 sixes.

2. Corey Anderson

Injuries meant that we didn’t get to see the best of New Zealand’s Corey Anderson. The left hander has currently the number two for the fastest ODI ton which he made from 36 balls against West Indies in 2014.

3. Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi’s 102 from 37 balls was remarkable for the fact that it came on his international debut. The man known as Boom Boom passed the milestone for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996.

He was a raw 16 year old and we knew then that cricket had a serious talent on its hands.

4. Mark Boucher

Known as a brilliant wicket keeper, Mark Boucher wasn’t necessarily the fastest batsman but he’s at number two with a century from 44 balls for South Africa against Zimbabwe in 2006.

5. Brian Lara

West Indies’ great left hander Brian Lara was known for his high accumulation of runs in first class cricket but he could score quickly in limited overs games.

In ODI matches, he made over 10,000 runs with no fewer than 19 centuries. His fastest ton came against Bangladesh in 1999 when he brought up three figures from just 45 balls.

6. Shahid Afridi

The fact that Shahid Afridi has two entries in the top six is a testament to his hitting power. It’s even more remarkable when you consider that he only scored six centuries in his ODI career.

This effort came against old rivals India in Kanpur and it took Afridi just 45 balls.

7. Jesse Ryder

New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder may have had his issues away from the pitch but he was wonderful to watch when batting. The Kiwi was an uncompromising left hander, muscling loose balls far over the boundary.

Ryder comes in at number seven on the list of fastest ODI tons with a century from 46 deliveries against the West Indies in 2014.

8. Jos Buttler

England’s Jos Buttler is a devastating hitter who can bat anywhere in the top order. He also has both of England’s two fastest ODI centuries.

His first entry comes via his 46-ball hundred against Pakistan in Dubai in 2015.

9. Sanath Jayasuriya

Pakistan were also on the receiving end when Sanath Jayasuriya hit this rapid ton. In Singapore in 1996, the left hander passed three figures after 48 deliveries.

This was the year that Sri Lanka won the ODI World Cup and Jayasuriya played a big part in revolutionizing limited overs cricket at the time.

10. Jos Buttler

That man Jos Buttler slots in at number ten and few would bet against him improving on his stats in years to come. This particular effort came from 50 balls against Pakistan in 2019.

11. Kevin O’Brien

Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien scored what is probably the most important century on the ODI list. His ton from 50 balls helped his side secure a famous win over England at the 2011 World Cup.

12. Glenn Maxwell

He’s referred to as the ‘Big Show’ and Australia’s power hitter Glenn Maxwell slots in at number four with his century from 51 balls against Sri Lanka in 2015.

Fastest Century in T20

1. David Miller

There are three men in joint first place with a T20 century from just 35 balls. South Africa’s powerful left hander David Miller set the mark when he reached his hundred against Bangladesh in 2017.

1. Rohit Sharma

Just two months after Miller recorded that milestone, Rohit Sharma of India equalled the landmark. Playing for India against Sri Lanka in December 2017, Rohit Sharma equalled David Miller’s record. A fast starter at the top of the order, the Indian international made a century from 35 deliveries against Sri Lanka.

1. S. Wickramasekara

Official T20 internationals now include many associate nations so we should expect to see some unfamiliar names.

In 2019, a third player joined Rohit Sharma and David Miller at the top of the list for fastest T20 international centuries. Playing for the Czech Republic against Turkey in August 2019, Sudesh Wickramasekara also reached the three figure mark from just 35 balls.

4. S. Periyalwar

Turkey were the unfortunate victims once again when S. Periyalwar of Romania scored a hundred from 39 balls in a T20 international in 2019.

5. George Munsey

Scotland’s George Munsey is an experienced batsman and he can score quick runs when needed. Playing against the Netherlands in 2019, Munsey hit a T20 hundred in 41 balls.

Fastest Century in Test Cricket

1. Brendon McCullum

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was known for his fast scoring but, against Australia at Christchurch in 2016, he took test cricket to a new level.

In test matches, the record for the fastest century currently belongs to New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum whose hundred against Australia in 2016 came from just 54 balls. The Kiwi was renowned for being a fast scorer and his quickest hundred came in his final test.

2. Misbah-ul-Haq

Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is one player who was never really known for fast scoring. However, in a test series in Australia in 2014/15, he made a century from just 56 balls.

3. Viv Richards

The great Viv Richards is effectively in joint second place on this list. The original master blaster made a test hundred from 56 balls against England in 1985/86.

4. Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist had played ODI cricket for many years before becoming a regular in Australia’s test side. He put all of that power hitting to good use when he made a century from 57 balls against England in 2006/07.

5. Jack Gregory

He may not be the most familiar name on this list but, in 1921, Jack Gregory set a standard for fast test hundreds that took some time to overtake. Playing for Australia against South Africa, Gregory brought up three figures off just 67 deliveries.

Fastest Double Century in Test Cricket

1. Nathan Astle

Playing for New Zealand against England at Christchurch in 2002, Nathan Astle made the fastest double century in the history of test match cricket. Astle reached the landmark from just 153 balls and would eventually go on to score 222 runs from 168 deliveries.

The feat was a remarkable one in the context of the game as New Zealand came close to chasing down a world record score of 550 on fourth innings.

2. Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes had already made some useful scores for England but his 258 against South Africa in 2016 told us that he was a world class batsman. He passed the 200 mark from just 163 balls.

3. Virender Sehwag

India’s Virender Sehwag helped to reinvent opening batting in test cricket. He scored big and he scored quickly with his fastest double ton coming from 168 balls against Sri Lanka in 2009.

4. Virender Sehwag

Another rapid double century from Virender Sehwag makes it in at number four on the list. This time, he passed 200 from 182 balls against Pakistan in 2006.

5. Brendon McCullum

It’s no surprise to see the man who made the fastest test century squeeze into the top five here. New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum made 200 from 186 balls against Pakistan in 2014.

Fastest Double Centuries in ODI

1. Chris Gayle

It’s only right that the new Master Blaster Chris Gayle should be featured. The West Indian is arguably the most destructive batsman of all time and he leads the fastest ODI double century list with 200 from 138 balls against Zimbabwe in 2014.

Gayle beat the previous record held by Virender Sehwag at 140 balls and he would eventually go on to score an undefeated 215.

2. Virender Sehwag

Having made two entries into the list of fastest double tons in test cricket, we should have expected to see Virender Sehwag here. His 200 against West Indies in 2011 was brought up from 140 balls.

3. Sachin Tendulkar

The ‘Little Master’ Sachin Tendulkar was an elegant player but he could score quickly when the match situation demanded. He is one of just a few players to make a double century in ODI cricket and his 200 for India against South Africa in 2010 came from 147 deliveries.

4. Fakhar Zaman

A powerful opening batsman, Fakhar Zaman has become an important player for Pakistan in limited overs cricket. Against Zimbabwe in 2018, he made a double hundred from 148 balls.

5. Rohit Sharma

He’s made the highest score in ODI cricket and has passed 200 on three occasions in this format. India’s Rohit Sharma has brought up a double ton from 151 twice. The first came against Sri Lanka in 2014 and he replicated that feat against the same opponents three years later.

Fastest Century in Cricket

Fastest Double Century in T20 Cricket

At the time of writing in December 2021, there had not been a double century in the history of T20 cricket. The highest current score in this format is the 175 made by Chris Gayle for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors.

When this list was compiled in January 2022, there had been four other scores in excess of 160 and the batsmen in question were Adam Lyth, Hazratullah Zazai, Hamilton Masakadza and Aaron Finch.

It’s only a question of time when will somebody score a double hundred in T20, and it might very well be a power hitter like Gayle, who also scored the very first T20 century back in 2007.