Video article: Fastest ever centuries in Tests, ODIs and T20's
By CricketCrowd Staff Reporter | London | 9 May 2024.
Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton set a new world record with the fastest ever T20 century, taking just 33 balls to reach his century in 2024.
In his last ever Test, Brendon McCullum (145) smashed a spectacular century off just 54 balls to snatch the fastest recorded ton from Viv Richards and Misbah Ul-Haq (both in 56 balls). McCullum lofted Aussie paceman Josh Hazlewood to raise his century in front of his home ground fans in a fitting finale to his career. (2nd Test, Halgey Oval. Feb 2016)
AB de Villiers took 31 balls to smash the fastest century in one-day internationals as South Africa crushed West Indies by 148 runs. De Villiers score 149 from just 44 balls as he also smashed a record-equalling 16 sixes.
Pakistani skipper Misbah-ul-Haq unleashed carnage on Australia's bowlers to record the equal-fastest Test century (56 balls) and the fastest ever Test fifity (20 balls) in the 2nd Test in Abu Dhabi, Nov 2014.
Rookie Kiwi allrounder, Corey Anderson, smashed a 36-ball century to beat Shahid Afridi's 18 year old record for the fastest ever ODI century. Anderson ended up on 131 not out in 47 balls as New Zealand beat the West Indies in a rain shorted ODI in Queenstown (Jan 2014)
Chris Gayle, one of the cleanest strikers in modern cricket, set a new record for the fastest century in the history of professional cricket with an astonishing century off just 30 balls for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2013 Indian Premier League.
How does Gayle’s feat compare with other rapid centuries? We take a look at the fastest international hundreds of all time and share the list – along with our video action – for your viewing pleasure.
Fastest Test centuries
The great Sir Vivian Richards fittingly held the record for the fastest ever test match century for 30 years. He massacred the England attack to notch his hundred in just 56 balls during the 5th Test in Antigua on 14th April 1986. The West Indies were chasing an early declaration when Richards strode in at 100-1. He finished on 110 not out in 58 balls after smashing 7 fours and 7 sixes to lead the West Indies to a 5-0 series win.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq equalled Richards' record for the world's quickest Test century, from just 56 balls, as his side ran up a big lead against a hapless Australia in the 2nd Test in 2014. Misbah also recorded the fastest ever Test fifty (20 balls) during this knock - beating Jacques Kallis's 24 ball effort.
Brendon McCullum (145) posted a century off just 54 balls against a quality Australian attack that had its tail up, to snatch the record in the 2nd Test, Halgey Oval, Feb 2016.
The top fastest batting feats in Test cricket are:
1. 54 Balls: Brendon McCullum (145) for New Zealand v Australia, 2nd Test, Halgey Oval. Feb 2016
2. 56 balls: Misbah Ul-Haq, 101 not out for Pakistan v Australia, 2nd Test in Abu Dhabi (2014)
2. 56 balls: Vivian Richards, 110 not out for West Indies v England, 5th Test at St John’s, Antigua (1986)
4. 57 balls; Adam Gilchrist, 102 not out for Australia v England, 3rd Test, WACA Ground, Perth (2006)
5. 67 balls; Jack Gregory, 119 for Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Old Wanderers, Johannesburg ( 1921)
6. 69 balls; Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 100 for West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bourda, Guyana (2003)
7. 69 balls; David Warner, 180 for Australia v India, 3rd Test, WACA Ground, Perth (2012)
8. 71 balls; Colin de Grandhomme 105 for New Zealand v West Indies, 1st Test, Basin Reserve (2017)
Fastest ODI centuries
Kiwi allrounder, Corey Anderson, smashed a 36-ball century to beat Shahid Afridi's 18 year old record for the fastest ever ODI century. For 18 years, Shahid Afridi held the record for the fastest ever ODI hundred in just 37 balls. It was Afridi’s second ODI game; he carted the 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan-bowling attack for 6 fours and 11 sixers on the tiny postage stamp sized Nairobi Gymkhana Club ground in 1996.
AB de Villiers took 31 balls to smash the fastest century in one-day internationals.
The top fastest batting feats in ODI cricket are:
1. 31 balls: AB De Villiers, 149 for South Africa v West Indies, 2nd ODI, J'borg, Jan 2015
2. 36 balls: Corey Anderson, 131 not out for New Zealand v West Indies, 3rd ODI, Queenstown, Jan 2014
3. 37 balls; Shahid Afridi, 102 for Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 6th ODI, Nairobi Gymkhana Club (1996)
4. 44 balls; Mark Boucher, 147 not out for South Africa v Zimbabwe, 4th ODI, Senwes Park (2006)
5. 45 balls; Brian Lara, 117 for West Indies v Bangladesh, 2nd ODI, Dhaka (1999)
6. 45 balls; Shahid Afridi, 102 for Pakistan v India, 5th ODI, Kanpur (2005)
7. 46 balls; Jos Buttler, 116 not out for England v Pakistan, 4th ODI, Sharjah (2015)
8. 48 balls; Sanath Jayasuriya, 134 for Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 1st ODI, Singapore (1996)
Fastest T20 centuries
With only 120 balls available, scoring a century in any T20 is a rare feat. Chris Gayle tops the list with a 30 ball century in the 2013 IPL. He also scored the first ever international T20 century which features on the list below.
In 2024, Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton set a new world record with the fastest ever T20 century, taking just 33 balls to reach triple figures and fire his nation to victory over Nepal in 2024.
Previously, Nepal’s Kushal Malla, batting at number three smashed the fastest T20 international century – off just 34 balls - against Mongolia in the 2023 Asian Games. Malla broke the previous record of 35-ball 100 held jointly by India's Rohit Sharma and South Africa's David Miller.
David Miller blasted a 35 ball century against Bangladesh in 2017 to record the fastest ever T20 international century. Rohit Sharma equaled this record with a 35 ball century against Sri Lanka in Dec 2017.
The top fastest batting feats in International T20 cricket are:
1. 33 balls; Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 101 Namibia vs Nepal, 1st T20 Nepal Tri-Nation (2024)
2. 33 balls; Kushal Malla 137 not out Nepal vs Mongolia, Asian Games (2023)
3. 35 balls; David Miller, 101 not out for South Africa v Bangladesh, 2nd T20, Potchefstroom (2017)
4. 35 balls; Rohit Sharma, 118 for India v Sri Lanka, 2nd T20, Indoor (2017)
5. 45 balls; Richard Levi, 117 not out for South Africa v New Zealand, 2nd T20, Hamilton (2012)
6. 47 balls: Aaron Finch 156 for Australia v England, 1st T20, Rose Bowl (2013)
6. 47 balls: Chris Gayle 100 not out for West Indies v England, ICC T20 World Cup, Mumbai (2016)
8. 50 balls; Chris Gayle, 117 for West Indies v South Africa, 1st T20, Johannesburg (2007)
8. 50 balls; Brendon McCullum, 116 not out, New Zealand v Australia, 2nd T20, Christchurch (2010)
10. 51 balls; Brendon McCullum, 123, New Zealand v Bangladesh, World Cup 5th T20, Pallekele (2012)
10. 51 balls; Dawid Malan, 103 not out, England v New Zealand, 4th T20, Napier (2019)
12. 53 balls; Evin Lewis, 125, West Indies v India, Only T20, Jamaica (2017)
13. 54 balls: Colin Munro, 101, New Zealand v Bangladesh, 2nd T20, Mount Maunganui (2017)
13. 54 balls; Colin Munro 109 not out, New Zealand v India, 2nd T20, Rajkot (2017)
15. 55 balls; Tillakaratne Dilshan, 104 not out, Sri Lanka v Australia, 1st T20, Pallekele (2011)
Will Chris Gayle’s 30-ball century ever be beaten? We suspect it will take an extra special innings to do so.
Latest update: 9 May 2024
Related videos
- McCullum bows out by smashing fastest Test century record
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In his last ever Test, Brendon McCullum (145) smashed a spectacular century in just 54 balls to snatch the fastest recorded ton from Viv Richards and Misbah Ul-Haq (both in 56 balls).
McCullum lofted Josh Hazlewood to raise his century in front of his home ground fans in a fitting finale to his career. In a stunning rescue act, McCullum and batting partner Corey Anderson posted a 100 run stand for the fifth wicket off just 57 balls.
2nd Test, Halgey Oval. Feb 2016
- de Grandhomme slams fastest maiden century: 1st Test, Day 2 (Wellington)
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All rounder Colin de Grandhomme cracked his maiden Test century off just 71 balls to leave the West Indies reeling at stumps.
Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls set the platform with a 127-run stand for the fourth wicket. de Grandhomme and Tom Blundell adding 148 for the seventh wicket to have NZ on 447-9.
de Grandhomme’s 105 was the fastest ever by anyone scoring their maiden Test century and the 7th fastest of all time.
New Zealand 447 for 9 (De Grandhomme 105, Taylor 93, Nicholls 67, Blundell 57*, Roach 3-73) lead West Indies 134 by 313 runs.
Dec 2017.
- David Miller blasts fastest ever T20 century in 35 balls (Potchefstroom)
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David Miller broke the record for the fastest T20 century by blasting 101 not out off 36 balls (7x4, 9x6).
Five of Miller’s nine sixes came off the first five balls of the 19th over, bowled by Bangladeshi allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin as the Proteas plundered 61 runs from the final three overs.
Miller registered his ton in 35 balls, the fastest ever in T20 international cricket, in the final over.
See the full list of fastest ever hundreds here.
2nd T20, Oct 2017.
- AB De Villiers smashes fastest ever century in 31 balls: 2nd ODI (J'borg)
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AB de Villiers took 31 balls to smash the fastest century in one-day internationals as South Africa crushed West Indies by 148 runs.
De Villiers score 149 from just 44 balls as he also smashed a record-equalling 16 sixes.
South Africa 439 for 2 (Amla 153*, de Villiers 149, Rossouw 128) beat West Indies 291 for 7 (Smith 64, Ramdin 57) by 148 runs.
Jan 2015
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