Fastest Centuries in Cricket: The Record for Quickest Hundred
The fastest century in cricket is measured by balls faced — discover who holds the record, how they did it, and what conditions produce the quickest hundreds.
How Fastest Centuries Are Measured
The fastest century is measured by the number of balls faced — not minutes elapsed. A batter who reaches 100 off 31 balls has faced 31 deliveries (excluding wides and no-balls not faced). The fewer balls faced, the faster the century.
The World Record: AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers of South Africa holds the world record for the fastest century in international cricket — 31 balls against West Indies at Johannesburg in January 2015. De Villiers reached 100 in a T20I during an innings in an ODI match (it was an ODI, 31 balls). The century came in an ODI match where he also scored 149 off 44 balls overall — one of the most destructive hitting displays ever seen at international level.
Fastest Centuries by Format
| Format | Balls Faced | Batter | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 31 | AB de Villiers (South Africa) | 2015 |
| T20I | 35 | Rohit Sharma (India) and David Miller (South Africa) — shared | Various |
| Test cricket | 56 | Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) | 2014 |
What Produces Fast Centuries?
- Flat pitches with minimal movement — batters can swing freely without risk of deviating deliveries
- Short boundaries — the shorter the boundary, the easier sixes become
- A late batting position with freedom to attack — the team's situation allows pure attacking cricket
- Specific match-ups — bowling attacks without pace or variety are most vulnerable to fast scoring
- Elite ball-striking technique — power hitting combined with precision timing
Frequently asked questions
Has anyone scored a century off fewer than 30 balls?
Not in international cricket. Ab de Villiers's 31-ball century is the international record. In domestic T20 cricket, shorter formats and weaker attacks have produced centuries in 25–28 balls.
Does the fastest century always come from a lower-order batter?
Not necessarily. De Villiers batted at number 3 in his record innings. Most fast centuries come from middle-order or lower-middle-order batters who enter with the team in a strong position and can play freely.
How does the fastest ODI century compare to the fastest T20I century?
The fastest ODI century (31 balls, de Villiers) is faster than many T20I records because ODI players sometimes have the luxury of batting with a partner already settled. T20I fastest centuries tend to be around 35–40 balls due to the natural pressure of the shorter format.