The Fastest Century in ODI Cricket: Record-Breaking Tons
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Thirty-one balls. That’s how long it took AB de Villiers to go from zero to a hundred against the West Indies at the Wanderers in January 2015, and cricket still hasn’t produced anyone who can match it. The innings didn’t just break a record, it reset what commentators and opposing captains treat as physically possible over 50 overs.
The Record: AB de Villiers vs West Indies (2015)
De Villiers reached his century in the third ODI of the series, coming to the crease with South Africa already comfortably placed. From there he simply attacked every part of the ground, finishing on 149 off 44 balls with 16 sixes and 9 fours.
The Wanderers has a quick outfield, but the bowling attack he faced was still international-standard. What made the innings different wasn’t the conditions. It was that he could find the middle of the bat from almost any angle, over and over.
Top 5 Fastest ODI Centuries
| Balls | Player | Opponent | Year | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | AB de Villiers (SA) | West Indies | 2015 | Johannesburg |
| 36 | Corey Anderson (NZ) | West Indies | 2014 | Queenstown |
| 37 | Shahid Afridi (PAK) | Sri Lanka | 1996 | Nairobi |
| 45 | Mark Boucher (SA) | Zimbabwe | 2006 | Potchefstroom |
| 45 | Brian Lara (WI) | Bangladesh | 1999 | Dhaka |
Figures from ESPNcricinfo records. Minor variations may exist across official and unofficial records.
Corey Anderson’s Short Reign
De Villiers wasn’t the only one hunting this record around that time. New Zealand’s Corey Anderson had set a 36-ball record against the same West Indies side just a year earlier, in Queenstown in January 2014. His record lasted barely 13 months, one of the shortest reigns any major ODI batting record has had.
Shahid Afridi’s Long-Standing Record
Afridi’s case is the opposite story: longevity. His 37-ball century against Sri Lanka at the 1996 Wills World Series in Nairobi held as the world record for almost 18 years. He was 16 at the time, which makes it one of the more startling teenage performances in the sport’s history.
What Makes an Ultra-Fast Century Possible?
A handful of things tend to line up when a record like this falls:
- Batting position: Most record holders bat at four or five, arriving once fielding restrictions have eased but scoring pressure is still high, which frees them to swing early.
- Match situation: A team already in control removes the need to accumulate, so the batter can attack from ball one.
- Ground dimensions and outfield: Smaller grounds and fast outfields turn more mishits into boundaries.
- Conditions: Dry, flat pitches with little sideways movement let the bat find the middle consistently.
- Opposition bowling: Even good bowlers get taken apart by a batter with real intent, fast hands, and shots in every direction.
Modern Context
T20 cricket has pushed strike rates above 150 as a baseline expectation, and that mentality has bled into the 50-over format. Batters who came up through franchise T20 leagues carry those instincts into ODIs, so the ingredients for another ultra-fast century show up more often now than they did in the 1990s.
Frequently asked questions
Who holds the record for the fastest century in ODI cricket?+
AB de Villiers of South Africa holds the record, scoring a century off just 31 balls against the West Indies in January 2015.
What is the fastest century by an Indian player in ODI cricket?+
Virender Sehwag scored a century in 60 balls against New Zealand in 2009, which was among the fastest by an Indian in ODIs. Other Indians including Rohit Sharma have recorded quick centuries as well.
How many balls does a normal ODI century take?+
A typical ODI century takes somewhere between 80 and 130 balls. An 'aggressive' hundred usually comes in 60 to 80 balls, while anything under 50 balls is considered exceptionally fast.
How did AB de Villiers score his 31-ball century?+
In January 2015 against the West Indies at the Wanderers, AB de Villiers came in with the innings already set and attacked from his first ball, hitting 16 sixes and nine fours in a 44-ball 149. His fifty came off 16 balls and his hundred off 31, both world records at the time.
Who held the fastest ODI century record before AB de Villiers?+
Corey Anderson of New Zealand held the record with a 36-ball century against the West Indies on 1 January 2014. He held it for just over a year before AB de Villiers broke it. Before Anderson, the record belonged to Shahid Afridi with a 37-ball hundred in 1996.
What is the fastest century in T20 cricket?+
In T20 internationals, Indian batter and others have recorded rapid hundreds, with the fastest men's T20I century scored in around 35 balls. In all T20 cricket, Chris Gayle's 30-ball IPL century for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013 is among the fastest ever recorded.
What makes an ultra-fast ODI century possible?+
Ultra-fast hundreds usually come late in an innings when a batter can attack from the first ball with wickets in hand, often on a small ground with a fast outfield against tiring bowlers. Clean six-hitting rather than running is the key, as boundaries move the score far quicker.
Sources
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