The race to score the fastest centuries has completely revolutionized modern cricket with jaw-dropping power-hitting and unmatched fearless batting.
In the fast-moving 20-over arena, reaching a triple-figure score is no longer a slow-building milestone—it is an all-out assault against bowling lineups. From legendary superstars to associate breakout talents and Indian domestic powerhouses, batters continue to push human boundaries.
Whether it is an international match, franchise tournament, or domestic cup, scoring a century inside 40 deliveries demands supreme hand-eye coordination and clean bat swing. Let’s dive straight into the historic knocks, complete career profiles, and official numbers of the top 10 fastest T20 hundreds ever witnessed in cricket history.
Top 10 Fastest Centuries in T20 Cricket
| Rank | Player | Team / Opponent | Balls Faced | Match Format & Year | Strike Rate |
| 1 | Sahil Chauhan | Estonia vs. Cyprus | 27 Balls | T20 International (2024) | 351.21 |
| 2 | Urvil Patel | Gujarat vs. Tripura | 28 Balls | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (2024) | 322.85 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | RCB vs. Pune Warriors | 30 Balls | Indian Premier League (2013) | 265.15 |
| 4 | Rishabh Pant | Delhi vs. Himachal Pradesh | 32 Balls | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (2018) | 305.26 |
| 5 | Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton | Namibia vs. Nepal | 33 Balls | T20 International (2024) | 280.55 |
| 6 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe vs. Gambia | 33 Balls | T20 International (2024) | 309.30 |
| 7 | Kushal Malla | Nepal vs. Mongolia | 34 Balls | Asian Games / T20I (2023) | 274.00 |
| 8 | Sean Abbott | Surrey vs. Kent | 34 Balls | T20 Blast (2023) | 265.85 |
| 9 | Rohit Sharma | India vs. Sri Lanka | 35 Balls | T20 International (2017) | 279.06 |
| 10 | David Miller | South Africa vs. Bangladesh | 35 Balls | T20 International (2017) | 283.78 |
In-Depth Analysis: TheTop 10 Fastest Centuries of All Time
1. Sahil Chauhan – 27 Balls (Estonia vs. Cyprus, 2024)
Sahil Chauhan holds the official world record for the fastest century in all T20 cricket and T20 Internationals, reaching his hundred in an unbelievable 27 deliveries in Episkopi, Cyprus.
- Career Profile: Born in Haryana, India, Chauhan relocated to Europe and became the backbone of Estonia’s aggressive national batting unit.
- The Record Knock: Chasing a stiff target of 192, Chauhan finished unbeaten on 144 off just 41 balls*, smashing 18 sixes and 6 boundaries.
- Key Records: Most sixes in a single Men’s T20I innings (18) and the fastest 100 in international cricket history.
- Current Form & Legacy: A regular spearhead in European cricket and ICC Regional Qualifiers, Chauhan cemented his status as a trailblazer for associate cricket.
2. Urvil Patel – 28 Balls (Gujarat vs. Tripura, 2024)
Gujarat’s explosive wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel shattered Indian domestic records by hammering the fastest century ever recorded by an Indian in T20 cricket.
- Career Profile: An aggressive top-order wicketkeeper-batsman from Gujarat who has played in the domestic circuit and IPL setups (Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings).
- The Record Knock: In a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy clash against Tripura at Indore, Patel scored an unbeaten 113 off 35 balls*, bringing up his century in just 28 balls with 7 fours and 12 sixes.
- Key Records: Fastest T20 century by an Indian batter, eclipsing Rishabh Pant’s long-standing 32-ball record.
- Current Form & Legacy: A prominent powerhouse in India’s domestic white-ball tournaments with a career T20 strike rate exceeding 160.
3. Chris Gayle – 30 Balls (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs. Pune Warriors India, 2013)
The ‘Universe Boss’ produced the most legendary hitting masterclass in franchise history at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during IPL 2013.
- Career Profile: West Indies batting icon, two-time T20 World Cup winner, and the all-time leading run-scorer in T20 cricket history with over 14,500 runs and 22 centuries.
- The Record Knock: Gayle smashed a 30-ball century on his way to an unbeaten 175 off 66 balls* (13 fours, 17 sixes).
- Key Records: Fastest century in IPL history and the highest individual score in all professional T20 cricket.
- Current Form & Legacy: Retired from international cricket, Gayle remains an active global franchise and legends league ambassador.
4. Rishabh Pant – 32 Balls (Delhi vs. Himachal Pradesh, 2018)
India’s premier dynamic match-winner Rishabh Pant produced a blitz for the ages during the 2018 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Delhi.
- Career Profile: Star wicketkeeper-batter for the Indian National Team and key match-winner across all formats, including India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph.
- The Record Knock: Pant blazed his way to 116 off 38 balls* (8 fours, 12 sixes), reaching the 100-run mark in just 32 deliveries.
- Key Records: Held the record for the fastest T20 century by an Indian for over six years.
- Current Form & Legacy: Frontline international superstar and premier Indian batter known for taking games away in high-pressure chases.
5. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton – 33 Balls (Namibia vs. Nepal, 2024)
Namibia’s hard-hitting all-rounder stunned the cricket world in Kirtipur by smashing what was briefly the fastest T20I hundred.
- Career Profile: Dynamic left-handed batter and leg-break bowler who represents Namibia across international tournaments and World Cups.
- The Record Knock: Loftie-Eaton came in at No. 5 and hammered 101 off 36 balls against Nepal, reaching the three-figure mark in 33 deliveries with 11 fours and 8 sixes.
- Key Records: First Namibian player to score a sub-35-ball international hundred.
- Current Form & Legacy: A central all-round pillar in Namibia’s push across global ICC events.
6. Sikandar Raza – 33 Balls (Zimbabwe vs. Gambia, 2024)
Veteran Zimbabwean captain Sikandar Raza led from the front with a ruthless display of boundary hitting during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier.
- Career Profile: Zimbabwe’s captain and one of world cricket’s most versatile all-rounders, featuring in major T20 franchise leagues worldwide.
- The Record Knock: Raza bludgeoned 133 off 43 balls* (7 fours, 15 sixes) against Gambia in Nairobi, reaching his ton in just 33 balls.
- Key Records: Propelled Zimbabwe to a world-record team total of 344/4 in T20Is.
- Current Form & Legacy: One of the most sought-after global T20 franchise stars and reliable international finishers.
7. Kushal Malla – 34 Balls (Nepal vs. Mongolia, 2023)
Nepal’s young sensation Kushal Malla tore into the record books at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
- Career Profile: A left-handed middle-order batter and orthodox left-arm spinner who broke into Nepal’s senior squad as a teenager.
- The Record Knock: Malla smashed 137 off 50 balls* with 12 sixes and 8 fours, reaching his hundred in only 34 deliveries.
- Key Records: Helped Nepal post 314/3, becoming the first team to cross the 300-run mark in T20I history.
- Current Form & Legacy: Key middle-order playmaker for Nepal across all multi-nation white-ball fixtures.
8. Sean Abbott – 34 Balls (Surrey vs. Kent, 2023)
Australian seam-bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott showed his power-hitting genius during a Vitality T20 Blast fixture at The Oval.
- Career Profile: Australia national white-ball regular and premier all-rounder in the Big Bash League (Sydney Sixers) and English county cricket.
- The Record Knock: Coming in at No. 6, Abbott hammered 110 off 41 balls*, reaching his hundred in 34 balls with 4 fours and 11 sixes.
- Key Records: Equaled the record for the fastest hundred in English domestic T20 history (matching Andrew Symonds’ 34-ball knock from 2004).
- Current Form & Legacy: A top-tier pace bowling all-rounder in franchise tournaments worldwide.
9. Rohit Sharma – 35 Balls (India vs. Sri Lanka, 2017)
‘Hitman’ Rohit Sharma showed pure elegance and effortless timing during a historic T20I at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
- Career Profile: Former Indian T20I captain, 2024 T20 World Cup-winning skipper, and joint-holder of the record for most T20I centuries (5).
- The Record Knock: Opening the batting, Rohit struck 118 off 43 balls (12 fours, 10 sixes), reaching his hundred in 35 deliveries.
- Key Records: Fastest century scored for the Indian national cricket team in T20 Internationals.
- Current Form & Legacy: A legendary modern cricket immortal celebrated globally for unmatched power and effortless six-hitting ability.
10. David Miller – 35 Balls (South Africa vs. Bangladesh, 2017)
‘Killer Miller’ destroyed the Bangladeshi bowling attack in Potchefstroom, proving why he is considered one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs history.
- Career Profile: South African middle-order stalwart with over 15 years of elite international and franchise experience (Gujarat Titans, Paarl Royals).
- The Record Knock: Miller smashed 101 off 36 balls* (7 fours, 9 sixes), which included hitting 5 sixes in a single over off Mohammad Saifuddin.
- Key Records: Held the sole world record for the fastest T20I century from October 2017 to September 2023.
- Current Form & Legacy: A dependable high-impact finisher in global franchise cricket and Proteas white-ball squads.
Conclusion
The record for the 10 Fastest Centuries will continue to be challenged as batting standards evolve and boundary striking reaches unprecedented heights. In today’s game, improved bat technology, shorter boundaries, and aggressive top-order tactics have made 30-ball tons realistic possibilities across all professional leagues.
While icons like Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma, and David Miller laid the groundwork, modern hitters like Sahil Chauhan and Urvil Patel have taken hitting speed to new extremes. As associate nations rise and domestic circuits sharpen young powerhouses, cricket enthusiasts can expect even quicker landmarks in the seasons ahead. Keep an eye on evolving scorecards as the next record-breaking masterclass is always just one innings away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the record for the fastest century in T20 cricket?
Sahil Chauhan of Estonia holds the world record for the fastest century in T20 cricket, reaching his hundred in just 27 balls against Cyprus in June 2024.
Who has scored the fastest T20 century by an Indian player?
Urvil Patel scored the fastest T20 century by an Indian batter, taking only 28 balls for Gujarat against Tripura in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
What is the fastest century scored in the IPL?
Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest hundred in IPL history, reaching his milestone in 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in 2013.
Who hit the fastest T20I century for India?
Rohit Sharma holds the record for India in T20 Internationals, hitting a 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in Indore in December 2017.