Fastest 100 in cricket history: AB de Villiers holds the record

The record for the fastest 100 in cricket history goes to AB de Villiers, having smashed a century off just 31 balls. The game of cricket has evolved at a rapid pace in the last decade or so, and the batters have dominated limited-overs cricket. 

With the rise of T20 cricket, batters have become more accustomed to going after the bowlers from the get-go and power-hitting in general. It is no surprise that most of the records for the fastest this and that have come in the last decade. Today we take a look at the top 10 batters with fastest 100 in cricket history at the international level. 

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Fastest 100 in cricket history

Fastest 100 in cricket history
Photo Credit: Twitter
PlayerBalls for 100OpponentVenueYear
AB de Villiers31West Indies Johannesburg 2015
Kushal Malla34MongoliaHangzhou2023
David Miller35BangladeshPotchefstroom2017
Rohit Sharma35Sri LankaIndore2017
Sudesh Wickramasekara35Turkey Ilfov County2019
Corey Anderson36West Indies Queenstown2014
Shahid Afridi37Sri LankaNairobi1996
Deandra Dottin38South Africa St Kitts2010
Johnson Charles39South AfricaCenturion 2023
Glenn Maxwell40Netherlands Delhi2023

1. AB de Villiers – 31 balls, ODI vs West Indies (2015) 

AB de Villiers was arguably the most complete and most dynamic batter of the 21st century. The South African legend has several batting records to his name, one of them being the fastest 100 in international cricket. In an ODI at the peak of his powers in 2015, de Villiers obliterated the West Indies to complete his century off just 31 balls. 

Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw had put on 247 runs for the opening wicket before de Villiers walked in at the crease in the 39th over. He wasted no time and brought up fifty off 16 deliveries. It took him 15 more deliveries to register the fastest hundred. De Villiers scored 149 off 44 balls in that incredible innings, with nine fours and 16 maximums. 

2. Kushal Malla – 34 balls, T20I vs Mongolia (2023)

During the Asian Games Men's Cricket Competition in September 2023, Nepal broke several records on their way to 314/3 in 20 overs against Mongolia. This is the highest team score in the history of T20I cricket. Kushal Malla was the star of the show for them as he registered the fastest 100 in international T20s. 

Coming in to bat at 42/1 in 4.5 overs, Malla went after the inexperienced bowling unit of Mangolia and brought up fifty off 19 balls. He doubled that in the next 15 deliveries to register a century off 34 balls. Malla smashed 137 not-out in 50 balls, with eight fours and 12 sixes. 

3. David Miller – 35 balls, T20I vs Bangladesh (2017)

In October 2017, David Miller annihilated Bangladesh in a T20I at Potchefstroom. South Africa were 78/3 in 9.5 when the destructive left-hand batter walked in. He completed his fifty off 23 deliveries before going into the ‘Killer Miller’ more. It took him only 12 balls to race to the century off just 35 balls. Miller struck seven fours and nine sixes in this knock as South Africa posted 224. 

4. Rohit Sharma – 35 balls, T20I vs Sri Lanka (2017)

Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most centuries in T20I cricket with five three-figure scores. He registered one of the fastest 100 in cricket history when he blasted Sri Lanka all over the park at Indore in 2017. Rohit brought up his half-century in 23 balls and doubled it in the next 12 balls. Sharma struck 11 fours and 10 sixes on his way to 118 off 43 as India posted a massive 260. 

5. Sudesh Wickramasekara – 35 balls, T20I vs Turkey (2019)

In August 2019, the Czech Republic smashed Turkey by 257 runs in a T20I. They posted 278/4 in 20 overs and then bowled out the opponents for just 21. Sudesh Wickramasekara recorded a 35-ball century in this match, coming in to bat at 107/3. He hit eight fours and 10 maximums in this innings. 

6. Corey Anderson – 36 balls, ODI vs West Indies (2014)

Corey Anderson created history on the first day of 2014 when he hammered the then-all-time fastest 100 in cricket history. The ODI match between New Zealand and West Indies at Queenstown was reduced to 21 overs per side. Walking in at number five, Anderson blasted a century off 36 balls and remained unbeaten on 131 in just 47 deliveries. 

7. Shahid Afridi – 37 balls, ODI vs Sri Lanka (1996)

Shahid Afridi is the only name on this list for a knock played before 2010. The Pakistan all-rounder blew away Sri Lanka in an ODI match at Nairobi in 1996. Coming in at 60/1, Afridi decimated the Lankan bowling attack on his way to a 37-ball century. It remained the fastest 100 in international cricket for 18 years. 

8. Deandra Dottin – 38 balls, T20I vs South Africa (2010)

Deandra Dottin holds the record for the fastest 100 in women's international cricket. In the opening game of the 2010 ICC Women's World Twenty20, Dottin smashed a 38-ball century against South Africa at St Kitts. Coming in at 52/4 in 9.2 overs, she scored an unbeaten 112 off 45 to lift West Indies to 175/5. 

9. Johnson Charles – 39 balls, T20I vs South Africa (2023)

In March 2023, Johnson Charles recorded a 39-ball century against South Africa at Centurion. Batting at number three, Charles blasted 118 off 46 to power the West Indies to 258 in 20 overs. He struck 10 fours and 11 sixes in this high-scoring game. Despite posting a mammoth total, West Indies ended up losing by seven balls to spare.

10. Glenn Maxwell – 40 balls, ODI vs Netherlands (2023)

During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Glenn Maxwell recorded the fastest 100 in World Cup history when he smashed a 40-ball century versus the Netherlands. Facing his first ball in the 41st over, Maxwell struck nine fours and eight sixes in the innings to power his side to 399. Australia went on to win the match by a massive margin of 309 runs. 

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