One Day International (ODI) cricket offers an exciting balance between batting aggression and strategic gameplay. While scoring a century is a major achievement for any batter, reaching 100 runs in the fewest possible balls makes the performance even more special. Fastest ODI centuries often change the course of a match within a few overs and put enormous pressure on the opposition. Players such as AB de Villiers, Corey Anderson, Shahid Afridi, and Glenn Maxwell have delivered remarkable performances by combining powerful hitting with excellent timing. Their incredible innings have become memorable moments in cricket history. This article explores the top 10 fastest century in ODI cricket from the provided statistics, including runs, balls faced, sixes, fours, venues, match details, and dates.
Top 10 Fastest Century in ODI Cricket
The following table ranks the 10 innings according to the number of balls taken to reach a century, based on the statistics provided. These performances feature some of the most explosive batting displays in men’s ODI cricket.
| Rank | Player | Runs | Balls to Century | Sixes | Fours | Match | Venue | Date |
| 1 | AB de Villiers | 149 | 31 | 16 | 8 January 1900 | South Africa vs West Indies | Johannesburg | 18 January 2015 |
| 2 | Corey Anderson | 131* | 36 | 14 | 5 January 1900 | New Zealand vs West Indies | Queenstown | 1 January 2014 |
| 3 | Shahid Afridi | 102 | 37 | 11 | 5 January 1900 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | Nairobi | 4 October 1996 |
| 4 | Glenn Maxwell | 106 | 40 | 8 | 8 January 1900 | Australia vs Netherlands | Delhi | 25 October 2023 |
| 5 | Asif Khan | 101* | 41 | 11 | 3 January 1900 | UAE vs Nepal | Kirtipur | 16 March 2023 |
| 6 | Mark Boucher | 147* | 44 | 10 | 7 January 1900 | South Africa vs Zimbabwe | Potchefstroom | 20 September 2006 |
| 7 | Brian Lara | 117 | 45 | 4 | 17 January 1900 | West Indies vs Bangladesh | Dhaka | 9 October 1999 |
| 8 | Shahid Afridi | 102 | 45 | 9 | 9 January 1900 | Pakistan vs India | Kanpur | 15 April 2005 |
| 9 | Jesse Ryder | 104 | 46 | 5 | 11 January 1900 | New Zealand vs West Indies | Queenstown | 1 January 2014 |
| 10 | Jos Buttler | 116* | 46 | 8 | 9 January 1900 | England vs Pakistan | Dubai (DSC) | 20 November 2015 |
Fastest Century in ODI Details
A century in One Day International (ODI) cricket requires a batter to score 100 runs in an innings. The fastest ODI centuries are ranked by the number of balls required to reach 100, not the total number of balls faced. AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in men’s ODI cricket, having reached the milestone in just 31 balls against the West Indies in 2015.
1. AB de Villiers (Fastest ODI Century in 31 Balls)
AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in men’s ODI cricket. He achieved the feat against the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 18 January 2015. He reached 100 runs in only 31 balls and finished with an extraordinary 149 off 44 deliveries. His innings included 16 sixes and nine fours. De Villiers combined powerful hitting with innovative stroke play throughout his innings. He attacked the West Indies bowlers from different angles and regularly cleared the boundary. His performance helped South Africa post 439/2, and the hosts won the match by 148 runs. His record-breaking century remains one of the most remarkable batting performances in ODI history.
Key statistics
- Player: AB de Villiers
- Team: South Africa
- Opposition: West Indies
- Century: 31 balls
- Final score: 149 off 44 balls
- Fours: 9
- Sixes: 16
- Venue: Johannesburg
- Date: 18 January 2015
2. Corey Anderson (ODI Century in 36 Balls)
New Zealand’s Corey Anderson recorded the second-fastest men’s ODI century against the West Indies in Queenstown on 1 January 2014. He reached his hundred in 36 balls and remained unbeaten on 131 from 47 deliveries. His innings featured 14 sixes and six fours. Anderson’s aggressive left-handed batting put the West Indies bowling attack under considerable pressure. He combined powerful shots with effective placement to maintain a remarkable scoring rate. The innings came during a rain-affected match reduced to 21 overs per side. New Zealand’s explosive batting helped establish a commanding total and made Anderson’s century a landmark performance.
Key statistics
- Player: Corey Anderson
- Team: New Zealand
- Opposition: West Indies
- Century: 36 balls
- Final score: 131* off 47 balls
- Fours: 6
- Sixes: 14
- Venue: Queenstown
- Date: 1 January 2014
3. Shahid Afridi (ODI Century in 37 Balls)
Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi reached his century in just 37 balls against Sri Lanka on 4 October 1996. The match took place at the Gymkhana Club Ground in Nairobi during the KCA Centenary Tournament. Afridi eventually scored 102 runs from 40 balls, hitting six fours and 11 sixes. Afridi’s innings was remarkable for its aggressive approach at a time when ODI batting was generally less focused on extreme power-hitting. He attacked the bowlers from the beginning and repeatedly cleared the boundary. His performance helped Pakistan score 371/9. Pakistan went on to win by 82 runs, while Afridi established himself as one of the most explosive batters in international cricket.
Key statistics
- Player: Shahid Afridi
- Team: Pakistan
- Opposition: Sri Lanka
- Century: 37 balls
- Final score: 102 off 40 balls
- Fours: 6
- Sixes: 11
- Venue: Nairobi
- Date: 4 October 1996
4. Glenn Maxwell (ODI Century in 40 Balls)
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell scored a century against the Netherlands during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on 25 October 2023, Maxwell reached 100 in 40 balls and finished with 106 from 44 deliveries. He struck eight fours and eight sixes. Maxwell used a wide range of attacking shots to put the Netherlands bowlers under pressure. His ability to find boundaries through unconventional strokes made it difficult for the opposition to settle into a consistent bowling plan. His innings contributed to Australia’s total of 399/8. Australia subsequently bowled out the Netherlands for 90, winning by 309 runs.
Key statistics
- Player: Glenn Maxwell
- Team: Australia
- Opposition: Netherlands
- Century: 40 balls
- Final score: 106 off 44 balls
- Fours: 8
- Sixes: 8
- Venue: Delhi
- Date: 25 October 2023
5. Asif Khan (ODI Century in 41 Balls)
United Arab Emirates batter Asif Khan reached his century in 41 balls against Nepal on 16 March 2023. He played the innings at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur and finished unbeaten on 101 from 42 balls. His score included four fours and 11 sixes. Asif Khan accelerated dramatically during the latter stages of the UAE innings. His powerful hitting helped the team reach 310/6 in 50 overs and demonstrated that outstanding ODI performances can come from teams outside the traditional major cricketing nations. Nepal won the match by nine runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, but Asif’s century remained one of the standout individual performances of the game.
Key statistics
- Player: Asif Khan
- Team: United Arab Emirates
- Opposition: Nepal
- Century: 41 balls
- Final score: 101* off 42 balls
- Fours: 4
- Sixes: 11
- Venue: Kirtipur
- Date: 16 March 2023
6. Mark Boucher (ODI Century in 44 Balls)
South Africa’s Mark Boucher scored a century in 44 balls against Zimbabwe on 20 September 2006. The match was played at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom. Boucher remained unbeaten on 147 from 68 balls, including eight fours and 10 sixes. Although Boucher was primarily recognised for his wicketkeeping, he also demonstrated considerable power with the bat. His innings helped South Africa build an enormous total of 418/5. Boucher’s rapid century was particularly significant because it came from a player better known for his work behind the stumps. South Africa won the match by 171 runs and completed a 3–0 series sweep.
Key statistics
- Player: Mark Boucher
- Team: South Africa
- Opposition: Zimbabwe
- Century: 44 balls
- Final score: 147* off 68 balls
- Fours: 8
- Sixes: 10
- Venue: Potchefstroom
- Date: 20 September 2006
7. Brian Lara (ODI Century in 45 Balls)
West Indies legend Brian Lara scored a century in 45 balls against Bangladesh on 9 October 1999. He played at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka and eventually scored 117 from 62 balls, with 18 fours and four sixes.
Lara combined elegant stroke play with attacking intent. Rather than relying entirely on sixes, he repeatedly found gaps in the field and punished loose deliveries with well-timed boundaries.
His innings helped the West Indies post 314/6. The team went on to win by 109 runs, and Lara’s century became one of the defining fast-scoring performances of his ODI career.
Key statistics
- Player: Brian Lara
- Team: West Indies
- Opposition: Bangladesh
- Century: 45 balls
- Final score: 117 off 62 balls
- Fours: 18
- Sixes: 4
- Venue: Dhaka
- Date: 9 October 1999
8. Shahid Afridi (ODI Century in 45 Balls)
Shahid Afridi appears twice in the top 10, thanks to another explosive century against India on 15 April 2005. Playing at Green Park in Kanpur, Afridi reached his hundred in 45 balls and finished with 102 from 46 deliveries. He hit 10 fours and nine sixes. Afridi’s aggressive approach put India’s bowlers under immediate pressure. His ability to score quickly through both conventional strokes and powerful boundary hitting made him a dangerous opponent in limited-overs cricket. His innings helped Pakistan chase India’s target of 250. Pakistan reached 252/5 in 42.1 overs and won by five wickets.
Key statistics
- Player: Shahid Afridi
- Team: Pakistan
- Opposition: India
- Century: 45 balls
- Final score: 102 off 46 balls
- Fours: 10
- Sixes: 9
- Venue: Kanpur
- Date: 15 April 2005
9. Jesse Ryder (ODI Century in 46 Balls)
New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder reached his century in 46 balls against the West Indies on 1 January 2014. The match took place at the Queenstown Events Centre, where Ryder finished with 104 runs from 46 deliveries. His innings included 12 fours and five sixes. Ryder’s left-handed batting combined strong hitting with well-timed shots through the field. His innings was part of New Zealand’s aggressive batting display in the rain-affected match.
The performance highlighted the importance of both fours and sixes in rapid ODI scoring. Ryder’s ability to find boundaries consistently helped him reach three figures in fewer than 50 balls.
Key statistics
- Player: Jesse Ryder
- Team: New Zealand
- Opposition: West Indies
- Century: 46 balls
- Final score: 104 off 46 balls
- Fours: 12
- Sixes: 5
- Venue: Queenstown
- Date: 1 January 2014
10. Jos Buttler (ODI Century in 46 Balls)
England’s Jos Buttler reached his century in 46 balls against Pakistan on 20 November 2015. Playing at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, he finished unbeaten on 116 from 52 deliveries. His innings featured 10 fours and eight sixes. Buttler combined powerful hitting with inventive stroke play to accelerate England’s innings. His performance helped England post 355/5 in 50 overs, giving the team a strong total to defend. England eventually won by 84 runs and secured the ODI series 3–1. Buttler’s innings also established a new record for the fastest ODI century by an England batter at that time.
Key statistics
- Player: Jos Buttler
- Team: England
- Opposition: Pakistan
- Century: 46 balls
- Final score: 116* off 52 balls
- Fours: 10
- Sixes: 8
- Venue: Dubai
- Date: 20 November 2015
Conclusion
Fast ODI centuries illustrate how individual batting performances can transform a cricket match. The table contains several famous names, including AB de Villiers, Corey Anderson, Shahid Afridi, Glenn Maxwell, Brian Lara, and Jos Buttler. Their performances illustrated different approaches to aggressive batting, from powerful six-hitting to precise stroke play and innovative shot selection.
AB de Villiers’ entry leads the table, followed by Corey Anderson and Shahid Afridi. However, readers should verify the figures against official scorecards before using this list as a definitive all-time ranking, as some ball counts and historical records may require correction.
Ultimately, the fastest centuries in ODI cricket reflect the changing nature of batting, improved fitness, innovative techniques, and a willingness to attack from the beginning of an innings. These performances continue to inspire cricket fans and illustrate the excitement of one-day international cricket.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A1. AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in men’s ODI cricket. He reached 100 runs in just 31 balls against the West Indies on 18 January 2015 and finished with 149 runs off 44 balls.
A2. Corey Anderson reached his century in 36 balls against the West Indies on 1 January 2014. He remained unbeaten on 131 runs from 47 balls.
A3. Shahid Afridi appears twice in the list. He scored centuries in 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996 and 45 balls against India in Kanpur in 2005.
A4. Glenn Maxwell hit eight sixes and eight fours during his 106-run innings against the Netherlands on 25 October 2023. He reached his century in 40 balls during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
A5. An asterisk () indicates that a batter remained not out when the innings ended. For example, Corey Anderson’s score of 131 means he scored 131 runs without being dismissed.
