5 December 2024 Punjab's Abhishek Sharma holds the record for the second fastest 100 in T20 cricket history. Abhishek scored a 28-ball hundred against Meghalaya in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He hit 8 fours and 11 sixes in his knock. Gujarat's Urvil Patel also hit a 28-ball ton vs Tripura in the same tournament a week ago. 

West Indies' Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest 100 in T20 World Cup history. Gayle scored a 47-ball hundred against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup. He hit 5 fours and 11 sixes in his knock.

The T20 World Cup provides a stage for batters to show their big scoring abilities. From Chris Gayle's explosive batting to Brendon McCullum's aggressive approach, each century highlighted individual brilliance and played a crucial role in the tournament.

Fastest Hundred (100) in T20 World Cup from 2007 to 2024

Eleven centuries have been scored in 8 editions of the T20 World Cup. Let's look at the fastest centuries in the T20 World Cup from 2007 to 2024.

Chris Gayle (West Indies) - 47 balls vs England, 2016

Chris Gayle holds the record for smashing the fastest century in T20 World Cup. He is the only player to have scored two centuries in T20 World Cup history. Chasing a target of 183 against England in Mumbai, Gayle played a fiery innings of 100* in just 47 balls, which included 5 fours and 11 sixes. West Indies won the match by 6 wickets.

Chris Gayle (West Indies) - 50 balls vs South Africa, 2007

Chris Gayle also scored the second-fastest century in T20 World Cup history. In the very first match of the 2007 World T20, Gayle made 117 off just 57 balls against the hosts South Africa in Johannesburg. His century came off just 50 balls. It remains the only T20 World Cup hundred in a losing cause.

Also read: Fastest Fifty in T20 World Cup from 2007 to 2024

Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) - 51 balls vs Bangladesh, 2012

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum holds the record for the third-fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history. His 123-run knock against Bangladesh in Pallekele, 2012 is also the highest individual score by a player in the T20 World Cup. His hundred came off just 51 balls. McCullum's marvellous innings helped New Zealand win the match by 59 runs.

Rilee Rossouw (South Africa) - 52 balls vs Bangladesh, 2022

Rilee Rossouw became the first South African cricketer to score a century in the T20 World Cup as he led the side to a win over Bangladesh in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rossouw took 52 balls to reach 100 runs. Rossouw hit 7 fours and 8 sixes in his innings and led the team to 205 runs, which they defended easily. 

Also read: Most Fifties in T20 World Cup

Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan) - 58 balls vs Bangladesh, 2014

Ahmed Shehzad became the only Pakistan player to score a century in the T20 World Cup. During the Pakistan vs Bangladesh match in the 2014 edition, Shehzad opened the batting and scored a masterful century off just 58 balls. His 111-run knock included 10 fours and 5 sixes, leading to a comfortable victory by 50 runs.

Suresh Raina (India) - 59 balls vs South Africa, 2010

Suresh Raina's 59-ball century against South Africa in the 2010 T20 World Cup is the sixth-fastest 100 in the T20 World Cup. It was a significant achievement, showcasing his ability to play long innings and score quickly under pressure. With his hundred, Suresh Raina became the first Indian player to hit centuries in all three formats. India won the match by 14 runs.

Also read: Highest Score in T20 World Cup History

Alex Hales (England) - 60 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2014

England's Alex Hales hit a 60-ball century in the 2007 T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka. Chasing 190 runs, Hales scored a masterful century and took his team home in the final over. Hales was unbeaten on 116 runs, which included 11 fours and 6 sixes. This was Sri Lanka's only loss in the tournament, which they eventually won.

Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) - 60 balls vs Oman, 2016

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal's 60-ball century in the 2016 T20 World Cup showed his aggressive batting style and ability to anchor the innings and score quickly. In a must-win game against Oman in the first round, Tamim was unbeaten on 103 runs and took the team to 180 runs in 20 overs. Bangladesh won the match by 54 runs using the DLS method.

Also read: Most Wickets in T20 World Cup History

Glenn Phillips (New Zealand) - 61 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2022

Glenn Phillips took 61 balls to score a brilliant hundred against Sri Lanka in the 2022 T20 World Cup. On a surface where other batters struggled for timing, Phillips played outstandingly and scored 104 runs with 10 fours and 4 sixes. The next highest score of the innings was 22 runs. New Zealand won the match by 65 runs.

Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) - 63 balls vs Zimbabwe, 2010

Mahela Jayawardena scored a 63-ball century in the 2010 T20 World Cup. Batting first on a difficult surface in Guyana, Mahela made 100 runs and took his team to 173 runs. His innings included 10 fours and 4 sixes. It was an important match for Sri Lanka, as they had lost the previous game against New Zealand.

Fastest Century in T20 Internationals

1. Sahil Chauhan (Estonia vs Cyprus, 2024) - 27 balls

2. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe vs Gambia, 2024) - 33 balls

3. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (Namibia vs Nepal, 2024) - 33 balls

4. Kushal Malla (Nepal vs Mongolia, 2023) - 34 balls

5. David Miller (South Africa vs Bangladesh, 2017) - 35 balls

6. Rohit Sharma (India vs Sri Lanka, 2017) - 35 balls

Fastest Century in T20 Cricket

1. Sahil Chauhan (Estonia vs Cyprus, 2024) - 27 balls

2. Abhishek Sharma (Punjab vs Meghalaya, 2024) - 28 balls

3. Urvil Patel (Gujarat vs Tripura, 2024) - 28 balls

4. Chris Gayle (RCB vs PWI, 2013) - 30 balls

5. Rishabh Pant (Delhi vs Himachal Pradesh, 2018) - 32 balls

6. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe vs Gambia, 2024) - 33 balls

7. Wihan Lubbe (North West vs Limpopo, 2018) - 33 balls

8. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (Namibia vs Nepal, 2024) - 33 balls

FAQ’s

Who scored the fastest 100 in Men’s T20 World Cup?

Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest hundred in the T20 World Cup. He took 47 balls to reach 100 against England at Mumbai in 2016.

Who scored the fastest 100 in T20 history?

Estonia's Sahil Chauhan holds the world record for fastest century in T20 internationals. Sahil reached 100 runs in just 27 balls against Cyprus on 17 June 2024. This is also the fastest 100 in overall T20 cricket. Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza hit the fastest T20I century (in 33 balls) by a Test-playing nation player. 

Which Indian player has the fastest century in T20 cricket?

Abhishek Sharma and Urvil Patel holds the record for the fastest century in T20 cricket by an Indian. Both batters took just 28 balls to reach their respective hundreds against Tripura and Meghalaya in 2024 SMAT. Rohit Sharma holds the record in international cricket, scoring a 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in 2017.