Fastest Century in T20 Cricket — International & IPL Records 2026

T20 cricket is built for big hitting — but even within that format, centuries are rare and devastating. Scoring 100 runs in a format where innings last only 120 deliveries requires extraordinary timing, power, and aggression. The fastest centuries in T20 cricket are some of the most spectacular batting performances ever seen.

This article separates the T20 International (T20I) and IPL records clearly, as they are often confused online, and provides complete tables for both categories.

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Understanding the Difference: T20I vs IPL Centuries

Before we get to the records, it is important to understand two distinct categories:

• T20I centuries are scored in matches between national teams (e.g., India vs England). These count toward ICC records.
• IPL centuries are scored in the Indian Premier League, a franchise tournament. These do not count as T20 International records — they are separate domestic/franchise records.

Chris Gayle's famous 30-ball century, for example, was scored in the IPL, not in a T20 International. It is the fastest century in T20 franchise cricket but does not appear on the official T20I records list.

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Fastest Century in T20I Cricket (Official International Records)

The T20 International arena has produced several blazing centuries, but they are surprisingly rare. As of 2026, fewer than 30 players have ever scored a T20I century.

T20I Century Record: David Miller — 35 Balls

David Miller of South Africa holds the record for the fastest century in T20 International cricket. He scored 101* off just 35 balls against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom in 2017. The knock included 12 fours and 5 sixes as South Africa overhauled a target with ease.

Hazratullah Zazai — 42 Balls

Afghanistan opener Hazratullah Zazai scored a blazing 162* off 62 balls against Ireland in 2019, reaching his century in just 42 balls — one of the most destructive innings in T20I history. Zazai's power hitting from the top of the order brought Afghanistan to international attention as a batting force.

Rohit Sharma — 35 Balls (Joint Record Contender)

Rohit Sharma, India's T20I captain and record-holder for most T20I centuries (4), has reached three-figure scores in extremely quick time. His century for India has been one of the most-watched T20I batting performances. Rohit remains the batter with the most centuries in T20 International cricket — a feat discussed further below.

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Fastest Centuries in T20 Internationals — Full Table

Rank	Batsman	Country	Balls	Opponent	Year
1	David Miller	South Africa	35	Bangladesh	2017
2	Rohit Sharma	India	35	Sri Lanka	2017
3	Hazratullah Zazai	Afghanistan	42	Ireland	2019
4	Chris Gayle	West Indies	47	Zimbabwe	2007
5	Brendon McCullum	New Zealand	56	Bangladesh	2012
6	Rishabh Pant	India	57	Bangladesh	2019
7	Glenn Maxwell	Australia	58	Sri Lanka	2016

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Fastest Century in IPL History: Chris Gayle — 30 Balls

The most iconic innings in IPL batting history came on 23 February 2013 when Chris Gayle smashed a century off just 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in Bangalore.

Gayle's final score was an unbeaten 175 — the highest individual score in IPL history. He hit 17 sixes and 13 fours in an innings that lasted just 66 balls. The century reached in 30 deliveries remains the fastest hundred in any T20 franchise cricket globally.

The innings was remarkable not just for the speed but the scale — 175 not out remains unmatched in IPL history more than a decade later.

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Fastest IPL Centuries — Full Table

Rank	Batsman	Team	Balls	Opponent	Year
1	Chris Gayle	RCB	30	PWI	2013
2	Yusuf Pathan	KKR	37	MI	2010
3	David Miller	KXIP	38	RCB	2013
4	Rilee Rossouw	SRH	43	RCB	2022
5	AB de Villiers	RCB	43	MI	2015
6	Brendon McCullum	KKR	43	RCB	2008
7	KL Rahul	KXIP	50	Various	2018

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Notable Performances Worth Knowing

AB de Villiers — The Complete T20 Batter

South Africa's AB de Villiers was arguably the most complete T20 batter ever. His 43-ball IPL century for RCB against Mumbai Indians in 2015 was part of a partnership with Chris Gayle that remains one of the most destructive in the format's history.

Yusuf Pathan — IPL Pioneer

Yusuf Pathan's 37-ball century for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians in 2010 was an early signal that T20 centuries could be scored at extraordinary speed. For years, it was considered the definitive benchmark of IPL big hitting.

Rilee Rossouw — Modern Power Hitter

South African batter Rilee Rossouw brought his T20 franchise pedigree to IPL 2022 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring a blazing century in 43 balls against RCB — a reminder that big-hitting talent continues to emerge in the format.

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Why Are T20 Centuries Rare?

Despite T20 being the most attacking format, centuries are harder to score than people think. Here is why:

1. Short innings — Teams only face 120 balls. A batter entering at the start has a maximum of 120 balls, but rarely gets all of them.
2. Tactical dismissals — Teams often sacrifice a wicket to send in a pinch-hitter rather than protect a set batter.
3. Rotation of strike — Keeping the strike in T20 is itself a challenge. A batter can go several overs without facing many balls.

As a result, T20I centuries are career milestones — only around 20-25 players have achieved them across all T20 Internationals.

For context on batting records across all formats, see our Cricket Glossary for definitions of formats and scoring milestones. You can also read our companion article on fastest bowlers in cricket for the other side of the T20 battle.

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Most T20I Centuries by a Batter

Batsman	Country	T20I Centuries
Rohit Sharma	India	4
Colin Munro	New Zealand	3
Glenn Maxwell	Australia	3
Hazratullah Zazai	Afghanistan	2
David Miller	South Africa	2

Rohit Sharma is the undisputed king of T20I centuries with 4 hundreds — no other batter is close to that tally in the international format.

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FAQ

Who has the fastest T20 century? Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest T20 century — scored off just 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in IPL 2013. In T20 Internationals specifically, David Miller and Rohit Sharma share the record with centuries scored off 35 balls each.

What is the difference between a T20I century and an IPL century? A T20I century is scored in an official match between two national teams and counts toward ICC records. An IPL century is scored in the Indian Premier League, a franchise competition, and is tracked separately as a domestic T20 record. Chris Gayle's 30-ball century is an IPL record, not a T20I record.

Who has scored the most centuries in T20 cricket? In T20 Internationals, Rohit Sharma leads with 4 centuries. Across all T20 cricket including domestic and franchise tournaments, Chris Gayle holds the all-time record with over 20 T20 centuries globally across various leagues.

Is scoring a century in T20 rare? Yes, T20 centuries are genuinely rare. Fewer than 30 players have scored a century in T20 International cricket. Even in the IPL, with more than 1,000 matches played since 2008, fewer than 25 individual centuries have been recorded.