Arguably the most thrilling record in ODI cricket is the fastest century. An innings of 100 in the fewest balls is aggression, timing and some explosive power-hitting at its best. Numerous legends of cricket have brought the cricket fans on their feet with magnificent centuries through all these years as well but there is only one man who is the holder of fastest century in ODI cricket.
In this article, you are going to discover the fastest ODI centuries, details about matches in which they were attained and how this magnificent record has changed over the years.
Fastest Century in ODI History – Top 10 List
| Rank | Player | Team | Balls to 100 | Opponent | Venue | Date |
| 1 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 31 | West Indies | Johannesburg | 18 January 2015 |
| 2 | Corey Anderson | New Zealand | 36 | West Indies | Queenstown | 1 January 2014 |
| 3 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 37 | Sri Lanka | Nairobi | 4 October 1996 |
| 4 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 40 | Netherlands | Delhi | 25 October 2023 |
| 5 | Asif Khan | United Arab Emirates | 41 | Nepal | Kirtipur | 19 March 2023 |
| 6 | Mark Boucher | South Africa | 44 | Zimbabwe | Potchefstroom | 20 September 2006 |
| 7 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 45 | Bangladesh | Dhaka | 9 October 1999 |
| 8 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 45 | India | Kanpur | 15 April 2005 |
| 9 | Jesse Ryder | New Zealand | 46 | West Indies | Queenstown | 1 January 2014 |
| 10 | Jos Buttler | England | 46 | Pakistan | Dubai | 20 November 2015 |
Fastest Century in ODI Cricket: 7.
The fastest century in ODI is for AB de Villiers( South Africa )
On 18 January 2015, he scored an astonishing 100 off only 31 balls against the West Indies in Johannesburg. While batting in the innings remained not out 149 off just 44 balls, scoring:
- 16 sixes
- 9 fours
- Strike rate of 338.63
It is considered as one of the greatest innings played in ODI batting history.
AB de Villiers becomes the fastest to a 100, breaks his own record (31 balls)
AB de Villiers walked into the crease after South Africa had laid a firm platform. The onslaught was improbable aggressive batting.
Match Summary
| Detail | Information |
| Player | AB de Villiers |
| Team | South Africa |
| Opponent | West Indies |
| Venue | Johannesburg |
| Date | 18 January 2015 |
| Century | 31 Balls |
| Final Score | 149* (44 balls) |
| Fours | 9 |
| Sixes | 16 |
It also created a few world records during the innings.
- Fastest ODI fifty (16 balls)
- Fastest ODI hundred (31 balls)
- Most sixes in the innings
This unbelievable record is still standing, no player has been able to break this fastest 100 in ODI even after a period of more than ten years.
Read More: New Zealand National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Before AB de Villiers: Corey Anderson’s Record
It was New Zealand’s Corey Anderson who last held the record for the fastest century in ODIs before that wage was broken by AB de Villiers recently.
Anderson scored his century off just 36 balls against West Indies on new years day of 2014.
With this innings, he not only changed the game for New Zealand and led them to victory but also surpassed Shahid Afridi’s record in many years.
| Player | Balls | Year |
| Corey Anderson | 36 | 2014 |
The record stood for just 17 days but it still holds as one of the greatest innings in ODI cricket.
Shahid Afridi’s Historic 37-Ball Hundred
Shahid Afridi also began in 1996, when he became the fastest player to hit a century (off 37 balls) as he thumped Sri Lanka before Pakistan to lead the pack.
To make the tale even further awesome, he batted on that day with Sachin Tendulkar’s bat.
That was an incredible knock – Afridi’s record had stood for almost 18 years without being broken.
Amazing Century By Glenn Maxwell In The World Cup
Glenn Maxwell of Australia, made the fastest hundreds in ODI World Cup History 2023 Cricket World cup
His hundred against the Netherlands in Delhi came off 40 balls.
Maxwell eventually scored:
- 106 runs
- 44 balls
- 9 fours
- 8 sixes
It was the record fastest century ever in an ODI World Cup.
India’s Fastest Century in ODI
Indian cricket has been blessed to have produced so many greats of the game over the years since One-Day Internationals (ODIs) came into them back in the 1970s but Kohli holds the record for fastest ODI ton by an Indian.
| Player | Balls | Opponent | Year |
| Virat Kohli | 52 | Australia | 2013 |
Virat Kohli scored a 52-ball unbeaten 100 in pursuit of a mammoth target at Jaipur, and it is still the fastest ODI hundred for India.
About the Fastest Century in ODI.client: textreplace
Over the course of decades, the fastest century in an ODI record has seen many changes.
| Year | Player | Balls |
| 1996 | Shahid Afridi | 37 |
| 2014 | Corey Anderson | 36 |
| 2015 | AB de Villiers | 31 |
It also follows a rise of ODI cricket where batting as we know it today is more muscular, adventurous and above all hard & assertive just like the increased fitness levels.
What makes the Fastest Century in ODI so special?
Even a century in itself is a great achievement. To do it in less than 40 balls:
- Perfect shot selection
- Outstanding power hitting
- Excellent timing
- Fearless intent
- Consistent boundary scoring
Such a performance is rare in ODIs and accomplished by only a few players ever.
Fun Facts of ODI Fastest Century
- This was also the fastest century by AB de Villiers in just 31 balls.
- For nearly 18 years, Shahid Afridi held the record.
- Fastest century in ODI World Cup History: Glenn Maxwell
- Livio Vismara is hitting the fastest consecutive ODI tens There have been two South African players who have hit two of the five fastest ODI centuries.
- India’s fastest ODI hundred achieved in 52 balls – Virat Kohli
- Many have gone beyond the 100-run mark in fewer than 45 balls, but no one has bettered AB de Villiers.
Read More: West Indies Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match Scorecard | India National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Timeline: History & Records
Conclusion
One of the oldest batting records in cricket, the fastest century in ODI still holds. Shahid Afridi’s 37-ball hundred, Corey Anderson’s explosive knock, coupled up with AB de Villiers’ insane – 31-ball(!!!) innings has kept every record-breaking inning a delight for cricket lovers across the globe. AB de Villiers finished the innings with 149, and it still remains top of the record books, one of the greatest feats in ODI cricket along with how modern-day batters keep pushing boundaries.
FAQs: fastest century in odi
Q1. Who has the fastest century in ODI cricket?
AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in ODI cricket, reaching 100 runs in just 31 balls against the West Indies in 2015.
Q2. What is the fastest ODI century in history?
The fastest ODI century is 31 balls, scored by AB de Villiers.
Q3. Who held the record before AB de Villiers?
Corey Anderson held the record with a 36-ball century before AB de Villiers broke it in January 2015.
Q4. Which Indian player has the fastest ODI century?
Virat Kohli holds India’s fastest ODI century, scoring a 52-ball hundred against Australia in 2013.
Q5. Who has the fastest century in an ODI World Cup?
Glenn Maxwell scored a 40-ball century against the Netherlands during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Q6. Has anyone broken AB de Villiers’ 31-ball record?
No. As of 2026, no player has surpassed AB de Villiers’ remarkable 31-ball century.
