Some of the fastest centuries in ODIs have happened in different periods of time and have come courtesy the talent of some outstanding cricketers whose skills have inspired awe and entertained endlessly. But a thing stands as common between these fastest centuries in ODIs. These valiant and timely knocks tend to have been built on the principles of big hitting, with their record breakers leaving little to the imagination. While some may feel a tad bit surprised that as far as the top five names in terms of the fastest centuries in ODIs is concerned, there's no Indian or Englishman right up there. But even then, in terms of the tremendous impact that these centurions have had in establishing their presence in the cricketing cosmos, it doesn't really matter for the end result of some of these blazing centuries has been entertainment, entertainment and entertainment.
Here is a list of fastest Centuries in ODI Cricket History:
AB de Villiers (149 off 31 vs West Indies)
The record for scoring not one of the fastest centuries in ODIs, but the fastest-ever ODI century belongs to AB de Villiers of South Africa who took just 31 deliveries, a deade back in the day, to come up with 149 glorious runs.
Just pause for a second to take cognisance of AB's genius, the man who simply took 31 odd deliveries to send the Windies packing.
The way he butchered the West Indies bowlers, the likes of Jason Holder, in particular, was an immense example of his carnage with the famed Kookaburra bat. Playing at home in South Africa with all the freedom in the world and without doubt, pure dare devilry, De Villiers didn't just fire a blazing record-breaking hundred; but fired a missile, it seemed, into the West Indian team dugout.
For his ease of hitting runs, for the pure panache and power with which he made those runs, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers had scaled a mighty one-day peak with one single knock of outstanding hitting.
Corey Anderson (131 not out off 36 vs West Indies)
The world record for scoring one of the fastest centuries in ODIs ever seen, belongs to Corey Anderson of New Zealand. As a matter of fact, it was thanks to his glorious and uncompromising hitting that came during a whirlwind knock of 131* off 36 that the world got to see the second-fastest century in ODIs (ever).
But that two of the world's fastest centuries in ODIs have actually come against the West Indies goes to also highlight the poor quality of their bowling and the rather mediocre standards that their white-ball bowling capacity had fallen to.
But Corey Anderson's sublime world-record breaking century against the West Indies, which happened in Queenstown a little over a decade back highlighted the sheer power and clutch hitting (at its very best) with which the left hander used to contest.
Even today, a question that's often debated in wider cricketing circles is whether Anderson could have played for longer time than he did for his BlackCaps team. But for time immemorial, whenever the name of Corey Anderson will be taken, one will remember his crazy hitting exploits that culminated in 14 sixes. The West Indies team on that occasion, despite featuring names like Charles, Bravo, Simmons and Ramdin was able to make 124 and that's that.
Shahid Afridi (102 off 37 vs Sri Lanka)
Long before there arrived to strengthen Pakistan's bowling a certain Shaheen Shah Afridi, there was just one Afridi in the game and his presence as a limited overs hero shall never wither away.
In a glorious 1996 one-day international that took place in Nairobi, Kenya, Afridi hammered 102 off just 37 odd deliveries and etched his name as a brilliant hitter responsible for scoring one of the fastest centuries in ODIs.
After Saeed Anwar of Pakistan had given his team a great start thanks to a fluent top order century, Afridi's blitzy hitting peaked for his country, taking the team score to 371, which wasn't something the fans were habitual of seeing in those days.
Six hitting to Afridi more often than not, if not every single day, appeared easypeesy and it brought out the real character in him. He was always fun to watch but a peril nightmare to bowl to. What would you reckon?
Glenn Maxwell (106 off 44 vs The Netherlands)
Not called and celebrated as the "Big Show" for nothing, the always hugely exciting and truly magnificent Glenn Maxwell has been a trailblazer of sorts where limited overs cricket is concerned.
It was back in the Men's ODI 2023 Cricket World Cup, an event widely remembered for Maxwell's batting genius against the Afghans, that the right hander offered another glimpse of his talismanic abilites with the bat. In an important contest against The Netherlands, which led to their noted all-rounder Bas de Leede emerging with 115 runs from his 10 over spell, Glenn Maxwell struck a mega hundred, scoring 106 off just 44 deliveries.
In demonstrating pure grit with the bat, Maxwell, often unstoppable on his day, struck 8 sixes and 9 boundaries and hammered the Netherlands as he helped his team to a mighty score of 399 runs.
While the belligerent right-hander's heroics led to Australia's mammoth score, their highest against the Dutch, the Scott Edwards-led side perished for just 90.
For times to come, Glenn Maxwell's courageous effort with the bat shall be hailed as a great knock and of course, as a great addition to one of the fastest centuries in ODIs.
Asif Khan (101 not out off 41 vs Nepal)
To many fans out there, especially those who, though die-hard cricket lovers, are mostly only concerned with the prominent cricketing forces out there, Asif Khan is a name to reckon with. The 35-year-old right hander, though hailing from Pakistan, has become a mainstream batter for the present day UAE cricket team. He even represented Pakistan during his playing Under-19 days, but today, the fulcrum of UAE's batting revolves around Asif Khan for whom he's been playing cricket since 2022.
Asif Khan struck one of the fastest centuries in ODIs during the year 2023 in Kirtipur in Nepal where despite his dominant effort with the bat, his team would lose the contest to the hosts in a contest whose result was affected by the DLS method.
But what was remarkable about the inning was that Khan made his runs from #7 in the UAE's order. Now, if that is not glorious, then what is?
Just how many record-breaking centuries have been hit from that down the order in the game's limited overs format?
Mark Boucher (147 not out off 44 vs Zimbabwe)
Back in the day, when the Proteas' limited-overs line up used to feature interesting talents in the bowling department besides the iconic Jacques Kallis such as Roger Telemachus, Andrew Hall and Charl Langeveldt, there was also a certain Mark Boucher.
And during that time, he was unquestionably, among the finest keeping-batters of the game.
Now, nearly two decades have passed since Boucher's Blitzkrieg at Potchefstroom during which he hammered, not accumulated, 147 runs in a single one-day inning and that too, off just 44 odd deliveries. But the innings is still widely remembered for crushing South Africa's familiar one-day opponents of that time in Zimbabwe.
Boucher's stay was that off merely 7.2 overs in which the right-hander hit one of the fastest centuries in ODIs, struck 10 sixes (the most he's ever hit against a single oppponent in ODIs) along with 8 fours.
The result of those batting herocis was that his South Africa reached a towering score of 418 with the likes of Nel, Hall and Duminy, among others making lightwork of the opponents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q1.Which batter has scored the fastest-ever century in ODI cricket?
It is none other than Protea's king of batting, Mr. 360- Abraham Benjamin De Villiers
Q2. Is there an Australian responsible for striking one of the fastest ever ODI tons?
Most definitely, yes! That man is the incredible Glenn Maxwell, who's been a legend for Australia in limited overs cricket
Q3. Is there a batter from any Associate Nation in this list?
UAE's prominent and daring batter Asif Khan is present on this list and his name will continue to find respect from all quarters
