T20i cricket is the most popular form of the game for fans. It’s exciting because it often features lots of sixes and fours in just a few balls. Since T20 cricket started, teams and players have been taking more risks, leading to some amazing performances.
This article discusses the fastest centuries in T20 International cricket. Scoring a hundred runs in 50-60 balls is impressive, but some batters have done it in less than 40 balls, which is truly spectacular. The fastest T20I century was scored in just 27 balls.
We’ll list the top 10 fastest centuries in T20I cricket here
10. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (Japan) – 40 Balls :
Another batter from Japan scored a hundred in 40 balls during a T20I match against South Korea in Sano on October 22 in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Region Qualifier B. Japan, led by Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, scored 218/8 in their innings. Fleming reached his hundred in just 40 balls and ended up scoring 114 runs off 46 balls, hitting 10 fours and 10 sixes. In response, South Korea managed 170/6 but lost the match by 48 runs.
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9. Johnson Charles (West Indies) – 39 Balls :
Johnson Charles, a top West Indian batsman, scored the fastest T20I hundred for his team. He hit a century off just 39 balls against South Africa in Centurion in March 2023. He ended up scoring 118 runs from 46 balls, hitting 10 fours and 11 sixes. Despite West Indies making 258/5, South Africa chased it down with 259/4 in 18.5 overs, winning the game and setting a record for the highest T20I chase ever.
8. Zeeshan Kukikhel (Hungary) – 39 Balls :
It’s really exciting to watch a match between new teams because they often deliver amazing performances. For example, in a game between Austria and Hungary in June 2022 in Lower Austria, Zeeshan Kukikhel scored a century for Hungary in just 39 balls. Austria scored 196 runs in their first innings, but Hungary chased it down in 19 overs and won by four wickets. Zeeshan, who started the innings for Hungary, scored 137 runs off 49 balls, hitting 7 fours and 15 sixes during his innings.
7. Sivakumar Periyalwar (Romania) – 39 Balls :
Sivakumar Periyalwar, playing for Romania in a T20 match against Turkey in August 2019, achieved a remarkable feat. He became the first player to score a century in just 39 balls in T20 International history. Romania batted first and scored 226 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in their 20 overs. Sivakumar remained unbeaten with 105 runs off just 40 balls, hitting 12 fours and six sixes. Turkey, in response, were all out for 53 runs, losing the match by a huge margin of 173 runs.
6. Sudesh Wickramasekara (Czech Republic) – 35 Balls :
Czech Republic scored 278 runs for 4 wickets in a T20I match against Turkey in August 2019, which tied for the second-highest score ever in T20 internationals. Sudesh Wickramasekara of Czech Republic scored 104 runs from 36 balls with 8 fours and 10 sixes, reaching a century in just 35 balls. Turkey struggled and were all out for only 21 runs, losing the match by 257 runs.
5. Rohit Sharma (India) – 35 Balls :
Rohit Sharma scored the fastest T20I century by an Indian batsman. He hit a hundred runs in just 35 balls against Sri Lanka at Holkar Stadium in Indore. This is also the second fastest century ever in T20I cricket. Rohit finished with 118 runs from 43 balls, hitting 12 fours and 10 sixes. India scored their highest T20I total of 260/5 and then bowled out Sri Lanka for 172 runs, winning the match by 88 runs.
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4. David Miller (South Africa) – 35 Balls :
South African cricket star David Miller was the first player to score a century in a T20I match with just 35 balls. He did this against Bangladesh in October 2017 at Potchefstroom. South Africa batted first and scored 224 runs in 20 overs. Miller scored 101 runs not out from 36 balls, hitting seven fours and nine sixes. Bangladesh could only manage 141 runs and lost the match by 83 runs.
3. Kushal Malla (Nepal) – 34 Balls :
Before, Nepal’s star Kushal Malla held the record for the fastest century in T20 International cricket. However, Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton recently broke this record. He achieved this feat by scoring a century in just 34 balls against Mongolia during the first match of the men’s T20I competition at the Asian Games 2023.
In the same tournament, Kushal Malla played a remarkable innings, scoring 137 runs from 50 balls, hitting 12 sixes and 8 fours at a strike rate of 274. As a team, Nepal scored the highest ever T20I total of 314/3. They then bowled out Mongolia for just 41 runs, winning the match by 273 runs, which is the largest margin of victory in T20I history.
2. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (Namibia) – 33 Balls:
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton made history by scoring the fastest century in T20 international cricket. He achieved this milestone by hitting 101 runs off just 36 balls, including 11 fours and 8 sixes, during a match against Nepal on February 27, 2024, in Kirtipur. This was his first time scoring more than 50 runs in a T20 match. Jan reached his fifty in 18 balls and then scored the next 50 runs in just 15 balls. His record was later broken, but we’ll discuss that next.
1. Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) – 27 balls:
On June 17, 2024, during a T20I match between Estonia and Cyprus, Sahil Chauhan, who was born in India but plays for Estonia, scored a century in just 27 balls. This is now the fastest century ever scored in a T20I match. Cyprus batted first and scored 191 runs at Episkopi. Estonia lost wickets quickly when they batted. However, Sahil Chauhan played an outstanding innings, scoring 144 runs from 41 balls. He hit six fours and a record-breaking 18 sixes, leading Estonia to victory almost single-handedly.
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