Fastest Centuries in Cricket: ODI, T20 & Test Records Explained
AB de Villiers holds the ODI record for the fastest century (31 balls). Learn about the fastest centuries in ODI, T20, and Test cricket, and what makes these innings so extraordinary.
The fastest century records in cricket measure raw hitting power combined with consistency. AB de Villiers holds the ODI record (31 balls), Rohit Sharma briefly held the T20I record, and various batsmen share the Test record honours for pace.
Fastest ODI Century: AB de Villiers — 31 Balls
On 18 January 2015, AB de Villiers scored 100* off just 31 balls against West Indies at Johannesburg. He reached his century in the 44th over of South Africa's innings, hitting 16 sixes and 9 fours. The innings completely destroyed West Indies' bowling attack and set a target they could not challenge.
Previous ODI Record: Corey Anderson — 36 Balls (2014)
New Zealand's Corey Anderson had scored the previous ODI fastest century record with 36 balls against West Indies in 2014, also in Queenstown. De Villiers surpassed this by 5 balls just a year later.
Fastest Test Century
The fastest Test century by balls faced is 56 balls, achieved by multiple players. Viv Richards scored the first 56-ball Test century in 1986, and more recently Misbah-ul-Haq equalled the record in 2014. Jack Gregory's 1921 record was for minutes taken (70 minutes, balls not counted then).
| Format | Balls | Player | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 31 | AB de Villiers | West Indies | 2015 |
| ODI (prev) | 36 | Corey Anderson | West Indies | 2014 |
| Test | 56 | Viv Richards | England | 1986 |
| Test (eq) | 56 | Misbah-ul-Haq | Australia | 2014 |
Frequently asked questions
Who holds the record for fastest century in ODI cricket?
AB de Villiers holds the ODI record for fastest century, scoring 100* off 31 balls for South Africa against West Indies in Johannesburg on 18 January 2015.