T20 International, or T20I cricket, revolutionized the game, adding excitement and solid intensity to the sport. Doing it quickly is one of the most thrilling feats of scoring a hundred in this format.
The term century in cricket means hitting 100 runs in an inning, and the rarity of doing that in the T20 inning-last ball counts tells us about some real knack required. This article tells the story of the fastest T20I centuries, of which the magic lies in these youth of talents who play for their countries and teams
1. Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) – 27 Balls
On June 17, 2024, in a T20I between Estonia and Cyprus, Indian-born Sahil Chauhan smashed a 27-ball ton for Estonia, now the fastest-ever T20I hundred. Bowling first, Estonia could not stop Cyprus at Episkopi, who made 191 runs. While chasing, they lost quick wickets. However, Sahil Chauhan single-handedly took his side to a win as he smashed a 27-ball ton and concluded his innings at 144 off 41 deliveries, including six fours and a record 18 sixes.
2. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) – 33 Balls
Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe scored a 33-ball ton against Gambia on October 23, 2024, in a group B match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier. Raza’s knock took Zimbabwe to a thumping 344/4 against Gambia, the highest-ever total in the history of T20I cricket.
Talking about the knock of Raza, he hit seven fours and 15 sixes during his stay at the crease and ended with 133* off 43 deliveries.
3. Jan Nicole Loftie-Eton (Namibia) – 33 Balls
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton entered the record books for the fastest century in T20 internationals, surpassing Nepal’s Kushal Malla. He smacked a 33-ball ton against Nepal at Kirtipur on February 27, 2024, scoring 101 off 36 balls with 11 fours and 8 sixes before being dismissed. This is the first time he has crossed the 50-run mark in the shortest format and has made it big.
Jan completed his fifty off 18 balls and took just 15 for the next 50 runs. But after a couple of months, the record was broken, which we discussed next.
4. Kushal Malla (34 Balls) – Nepal v/s Mongolia (2023)
In a different but striking performance worldwide, Nepali cricketer Kushal Malla smashed one the fastest centuries T20 International cricket history list, hitting a century in just 34 balls against Mongolia during the Asian Games on September 27, 2023. This achievement thrust him into the international limelight and promoted rising talent in associate cricket nations like Nepal.
Kushal Malla set a new benchmark with his 34-ball century, leaving the previous joint record holders behind in T20I cricket. His achievement is all the more laudable since Nepal is an associate nation of the cricket world. Thus, the achievement was a proud moment for Nepal and the cricketing world in general.
5. David Miller (35 Balls) – South Africa v/s Bangladesh (2017)
Today, David Miller holds the record for the fastest century in T20 International cricket history list, with a century in which he smashed within just 35 balls against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom on 29 October 2017. His blistering knock meant South Africa piled up a massive total and was an obvious example of powerful hitting from this man.
To his credit, Miller saw South Africa in a good position. But what ensued was total mayhem. His innings contained nine sixes and seven fours, showing a walkover over the bowlers. Miller’s ability to clear the boundary at will made this one of the most memorable innings in T20I history.
6. Rohit Sharma (35 balls) – Sri Lanka v/s India (2017)
A few months after David Miller’s record-breaking performance of fastest T20I centuries, Indian opener Rohit Sharma equalled the feat by scoring a century in 35 balls against Sri Lanka on December 22, 2017, in Indore. Known for his elegant stroke play and timing, Rohit shifted gears effortlessly during this innings, bludgeoning the Sri Lankan bowlers around the park.
Perhaps Rohit’s innings epitomized controlled aggression: boundaries flowed effortlessly, he hit 12 fours and 10 sixes, showing enough about finding gaps and clearing the ropes. It only reaffirmed their reputation as one of the greatest limited-overs batsmen ever.
7. Sudesh Wickramasekara (35 balls) – Czech Republic v/s Turkey (2019)
Sudesh Wickramasekara is another cricketer who scored the fastest 100 in T20. The Czech Republic’s Wickramasekara gave another notable century from associate cricket as he bashed a 35-ball hundred against Turkey on August 30, 2019, in the Continental Cup. Wickramasekara’s knock came at a time when T20 cricket was becoming popular among associate nations, and it was such an innings that brought the sport into the limelight within the non-traditional cricketing regions.
Wickramasekara remained a clean hitter throughout his century, finding the middle of the bat too regularly for the ball to go beyond the boundary. His innings took the Czech Republic to a thumping victory, and he ended up atop international cricket’s highlight reel.
8. Shivkumar Periyalwar (39 balls) – Romania v/s Turkey (2019)
Romania does not precisely cut out for itself as one of the more traditional cricketing powers. Still, Sivakumar Periyalwar’s unbeaten fastest century in T20 off 39 balls when Romania chased a massive total against Turkey on August 30 has been written into the annals of cricket internationally. The knock helped set up a massive score for Romania and established Periyalwar as one of the most exciting associate cricket players.
He capitalised fully on a feeble Turkish bowling attack, smashing the ball to all parts of the ground. In his innings, he included several big hits and quick singles to illustrate the range of shots required in the T20 format.
9. Zeeshan Kukikhel (Hungary) – 39 Balls
Seeing a contest between the new emerging teams is exciting because it produces incredible performances. Just like in a game between Austria and Hungary in June 2022 in Lower Austria, when Zeeshan Kukikhel recorded a 39-ball ton for Hungary. Austria scored 196/6 in the first innings, but Hungary chased it down in 19 overs and won by four wickets. Zeeshan, who opened the innings, made a 39-ball ton and scored 137 off 49 balls, with 7 fours and 15 sixes in his innings.
10. Johnson Charles (West Indies) – 39 Balls
Star West Indian opener Johnson Charles has recorded the quickest T20I hundred for his team. He slammed a 39-ball century against South Africa in Centurion in March 2023 and scored 118 off 46 balls with 10 fours and 11 sixes. West Indies made 258/5, but it wasn’t enough as South Africa made 259/4 in 18.5 overs to win the game and register the highest T20I chase ever.
