Fastest Century in Cricket Explained
What the fastest century record is, how it is measured, and who holds the records in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
How Is the Fastest Century Measured?
The fastest century in cricket is measured by the number of balls faced to reach 100 runs — not by time elapsed. Fewer balls faced equals a faster century. This is the standard metric because the time a player takes is affected by extras, breaks, and overs faced that do not involve the batsman, while balls faced is a pure measure of their personal scoring rate.
Fastest Centuries by Format
| Format | Balls | Batter | Match | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 56 | Misbah-ul-Haq | Pakistan vs Australia | 2014 |
| Test (tied) | 56 | Vivian Richards | West Indies vs England | 1986 |
| ODI | 31 | AB de Villiers | South Africa vs West Indies | 2015 |
| T20I | 35 | Rohit Sharma | India vs Sri Lanka | 2017 |
Why Fastest Centuries Are Context-Dependent
The fastest century records are achieved in specific conditions: death-over targeting in T20 chases, run-a-ball batting on flat pitches against weak bowling, or a late declaration acceleration in Tests where a lower-order batter is given licence to swing freely. The context matters — a 31-ball century chasing 100 in the final over is more impressive than a 31-ball century when the team needs 400 and the lower order is going for sixes.
IPL and Domestic Records
Some of the fastest centuries ever recorded have come in IPL cricket, where flat pitches, short boundaries, and aggressive batting conditions make the 50-ball century relatively common and the 30-ball century achievable. The IPL record for a fastest century is in the mid-to-low 30s in ball count.
Frequently asked questions
Is the fastest century the same as the highest strike rate?
Not necessarily. A player could score 101 off 30 balls (very fast) or 100 off 30 balls with no extras (exactly the same strike rate). The fastest century is specifically the minimum balls to reach 100 runs.
Does a century off 31 balls always involve hitting sixes?
Almost always — to score 100 from 31 balls requires an average of about 3.2 runs per ball, which means the batter needs a very high boundary rate. Most fastest centuries include 6–12 sixes.
Have any fastest centuries involved batting against weaker opponents?
Some are against lower-ranked teams or during bilateral series where the bowling is less demanding. This is why critics contextualise records — a 31-ball century against a depleted attack is different from one against a full-strength bowling line-up.