Fastest T20 Century in History: Top 10 Record-Breaking Innings

Sahil Chauhan currently holds the record for the fastest T20 century in men’s cricket. He reached the milestone in just 27 balls for Estonia against Cyprus in June 2024. Muhammad Fahad follows with a 29-ball century, while India’s Abhishek Sharma is third with a 30-ball century against Afghanistan in September 2026. Scoring 100 runs in a T20 match is already a major achievement, but reaching the milestone in fewer than 40 balls requires extraordinary power, timing, confidence and consistency. 

Top 10 Fastest T20I Centuries

Fastest T20I Centuries in Men’s Cricket 

1. Sahil Chauhan (27 Balls)

Sahil Chauhan holds the record for the fastest century in men’s T20I cricket. The Estonian batter reached 100 runs in just 27 balls while playing against Cyprus at Episkopi on 17th June 2024. He hit a brilliant 144 runs off 41 balls in the match, which was full of aggressive hitting. Chauhan attacked the bowlers from ball one and continued in the same fashion even after reaching a century. His innings is also special because he didn’t just accelerate; he kept hitting sixes and fours even after crossing the 100-run mark.

Before Chauhan’s record-breaking innings, the previous fastest T20I century belonged to Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who scored 100 runs in 33 balls. Chauhan bettered it by six balls and created a new mark for the fastest century in T20I.

2. Muhammad Fahad (29 Balls)

Muhammad Fahad came second in this list after hitting a century in 29 balls while representing Turkey against Bulgaria in Sofia on 12th July 2025. Fahad’s historic innings was only two balls short of Chauhan’s record. He eventually scored 120 runs off 29 balls in his team’s emphatic win over Bulgaria. Another notable thing about Fahad’s 29-ball century is that it shows how far associate teams have come in men’s T20I cricket. Fahad had an incredible game, accelerating brilliantly to score 100 runs in just 29 balls. His innings is one of the best individual performances by a Turkish player in international cricket.

3. Abhishek Sharma (30 Balls)

Abhishek Sharma became the third batter after Chauhan and Fahad to score a century in 30 balls while playing against Afghanistan in Delhi on 17th September 2026. Sharma’s 108 runs came off 34 balls with nine fours and 11 sixes. He played a stunning innings, helping India to post a huge total and win the match comfortably. Sharma’s brilliant 30-ball century in the encounter against Afghanistan also helped him break the previous record for the fastest T20I century for India.

Sharma surpassed the previous record set by his captain, Rohit Sharma, who scored 118 runs against Sri Lanka in 35 balls. Sharma’s innings is also an ultimate example of how T20I batters across the globe have evolved. Instead of spending the first few overs laying a foundation, Sharma attacked the bowlers right from the word go. He didn’t just accelerate; he kept hitting sixes and fours throughout his innings even after reaching the 100-run mark.

4. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (33 Balls)

Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton scored a century in 33 balls while representing Namibia against Nepal at Kirtipur on 27th February 2024. Loftie-Eaton eventually scored 101 runs off 33 balls in what turned out to be one of the best individual performances by a Namibian batter. Loftie-Eaton’s innings is special because it marks him as the fastest T20I centurion before being surpassed by Chauhan and others who made it to this list. The 33-ball century set the record for the fastest T20I century at one point, and it is still one of the best T20I centuries for Namibia.

Loftie-Eaton’s record-breaking innings of 101 runs off 33 balls came as a surprise to many because it wasn’t expected that someone would score a century in under 35 balls. His innings is also an excellent indicator of how associate-nation batters have developed and can pose a serious threat to top-order batters from test-playing countries.

5. Sikandar Raza (33 Balls)

Sikandar Raza is the fastest from Zimbabwe to score a century in 33 balls. Raza scored 133 runs off 33 balls while playing against Gambia at Ruakura on 23rd October 2024. His innings of 133 runs off 33 balls came in the second match of the series, and it was a statement of intent that showed that Zimbabwe can compete with the best in the world. Raza had crossed the 100-run mark in 30 balls while facing one of the best bowling attacks in the world.

He used his experience and knowledge of the game to pick out gaps and hit the bowlers on the full. Raza’s 33-ball century is yet another example of how T20I batters have evolved. Even against the strongest bowling attack in the world, he didn’t hold back and continued hitting sixes and fours. His innings is more of an aggressive style of play, which is perfect for the shortest format of the game.

6. Finn Allen (33 Balls)

Finn Allen is one of the best openers in the New Zealand men’s cricket team and is known for his explosive style of play. Allen’s 33-ball century came while playing against South Africa in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 4th March 2026.

Allen has been one of the most aggressive openers in the T20I arena, where he doesn’t hold back, especially against fast bowling. Allen’s 33-ball century against South Africa is the best individual performance by a New Zealand batter in their T20I history. Allen’s 33-ball century came at the end of a brilliant innings by New Zealand. He used his aggression to strike the bowling attack all the way, picking up boundaries and sixes at regular intervals. 

7. Kushal Malla (34 Balls)

Nepal’s Kushal Malla occupies the seventh position on this list after scoring a brilliant century in 34 balls while playing against Mongolia at Hangzhou on 27th September 2023. Malla eventually scored 137 runs off 34 balls with his innings full of aggressive hitting. Malla’s 137-run innings was one of the best individual performances by a Nepalese batter in his country’s T20I cricket history. Malla’s innings is special in many ways and shows us how far associate nations have come in men’s T20I cricket. Malla has been one of the most aggressive batters for Nepal in the shortest format of the game. His 34-ball century will also be remembered as one of his most outstanding T20I innings. It is also one of the fastest centuries in men’s T20I cricket. He bettered his previous best of 34 balls to score a century, which he eventually took to 137 runs.

8. David Miller (35 Balls)

South Africa’s David Miller has been one of the best lower-order batters in men’s T20I cricket. Miller’s 35-ball century came while playing against Bangladesh at Potchefstroom on 29th October 2017. Miller eventually scored 101 runs off 35 balls in one of the most explosive centuries in men’s T20I cricket. His record-breaking innings came at a crucial time for South Africa as they needed a win to make it to the next round of the tournament.

Miller’s century is also one of the best individual performances by a South African batter in men’s T20I cricket. In his innings, he took full advantage of the poor conditions on offer and hit some of the most brutal sixes in the history of men’s T20I cricket. Miller’s innings is a masterclass in T20I batting. He has the ability to assess the conditions quickly and then accelerate in the middle or towards the death overs.

9. Rohit Sharma (35 Balls)

Indian batting legend Rohit Sharma has been one of the best T20I batters ever. Sharma’s 35-ball century came while playing against Sri Lanka at Indore on 22nd December 2017. Sharma eventually scored 118 runs off 35 balls in what was one of the most commanding centuries ever seen in men’s T20I cricket. Sharma has always been a big-hitter, and his innings against Sri Lanka showed why he is considered one of the best T20I batters to have played the game. Sharma’s century is also one of the best individual innings by an Indian batter in men’s T20I cricket. He scored at an unbelievable strike rate of 337, with most of his runs coming in the form of sixes and fours. Sharma’s innings is also one of the fastest centuries in men’s T20I cricket.

10. S Wickramasekara (35 Balls)

S Wickramasekara, a talented opener from the Czech Republic, has been one of the most consistent batters for his country in men’s T20I cricket. Wickramasekara’s 35-ball century came while playing against Turkey at Ilfov County on 30th August 2019.

Wickramasekara eventually scored 104 runs off 35 balls in one of the most explosive innings by a Czech batter in men’s T20I cricket. His innings is special because it showed that teams from outside the so-called ‘big three’ nations can compete at the highest level of men’s T20I cricket. It is also one of the fastest centuries in men’s T20I cricket. To score a century in just 35 balls, a batter needs to have extraordinary hand-eye coordination and power in his shots. He also needs to know how to use his feet well and take advantage of every delivery, including hitting bowlers on the wrong line and length.

How Difficult Is a Fast T20I Century?

A T20 innings contains only 120 legal deliveries, and a batter has to score a century in fewer than 40 of them to make it to this list. So, in order to score a century in less than 40 balls in a T20 innings, a batter has to maintain a strike rate of nearly 286. So, it’s clear that a T20I century in fewer than 40 balls is incredibly difficult. A batter can’t score runs at such a strike rate without hitting a six or a four almost every ball. And that’s exactly the kind of batting we witnessed from these batters.

Power hitting is essential when it comes to a fast T20I century, but it’s not enough. A batter also needs to have good hand-eye coordination and the ability to read the game well. Another thing that makes it possible for batters to score centuries in quick time is that the two openers are allowed to attack the bowlers right from the word go.

Conclusion 

A T20I century is one of the most exciting feats in men’s cricket. Sahil Chauhan has the best claim to the title of the fastest century in men’s T20I cricket. Chauhan bettered the previous record by an incredible margin of six balls. Muhammad Fahad came right after Chauhan and scored a century in 29 balls, while Abhishek Sharma came third as he raced to a century in just 30 balls. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Sikandar Raza, and Finn Allen have all scored centuries in 33 balls each.

Kushal Malla came next as he raced to a century in 34 balls, and David Miller, Rohit Sharma, and S Wickramasekara all scored centuries in 35 balls each.

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Also Read: Fastest Century in ODI History: Top 10 Record-Breaking Innings