Top 5 Fastest Centuries in One-Day Internationals

Whenever a player scores a century in cricket, it is considered as an achievement and getting a century is one thing, but smashing it quickly is what limited-overs cricket demands and is all about. The first century in ODI was scored by Dennis Amiss in 1972 at a brisk pace. He achieved that feat in 134 balls. As you know that records are created to be broken, now in modern day cricket, the pace over the decades has increased considerably and the batsman deals in only sixes and fours to score big and quick. Here we take a look at the Top 5 fastest centuries in ODI.

5. Brian Lara (45 Balls)

The former West Indian batsman Brian Lara had a hunger for scoring runs, be it in Test cricket or ODIs, he scored runs everywhere and in every condition. This player, who broke the record for most runs in Test cricket two times, is fifth in the list, having hit a quickfire century during the second ODI  when West Indies visited Bangladesh in October 1999.

Lara opened the innings for the West Indies, and was only one of the two players to score in excess of 30 runs for his side (Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 77 runs). Scoring his 100 years in 45 balls, this unbelievable batsman lost his wicket at 117 off 62 balls, scoring at a pace of 188.70. His innings included 18 fours and four sixes, helping the side to 314, and in the end dominating the match by 109 runs.

4. Mark Boucher (44 Balls)

One of the most formidable batsmen of South Africa’s golden generation, Mark Boucher made his name in this list with a solitary century in which he was facing off against Zimbabwe, this feat was achieved in 44 balls by the wicketkeeper-batsman.

Batting at No. 4, after the South African batsmen began an onslaught, Boucher scored a century in only 44 balls. He managed to score an unbeaten 147 off 68 balls, at a strike rate of 216.17, hitting eight fours and ten sixes in the process. South Africa hit their second 400-plus score of the year and won the match by a massive total of 171 runs.

3. Shahid Afridi (37 Balls)

Former Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi holds the record for the third quickest century in ODIs, whenever he was batting in global cricket, it was the quickest century until then for 18 years which he scored against Sri Lanka in 1996. 

Facing the mighty Lankans at the KCA Centenary Ground in Nairobi, the all-rounder came at No. 3 and together with opener Saeed Anwar, he scored 126 runs. Scoring a ton in quick 37 balls. He had hit six fours and 11 sixes in this innings at a strike pace of 255. He lost his wicket in three balls after finishing his hundred. Pakistan proceeded to score 371 and beat their subcontinental rivals by 82 runs.

2. Corey Anderson (36 Balls)

Before AB de Villiers took up the best position, it was New Zealand's Corey Anderson who held the record for the quickest ODI century. The West Indies were a bad performer again when Anderson scored a quickfire ton in 36 balls at Queenstown.

The batting slaughter occurred on New Years' day during the third ODI of West Indies' tour of New Zealand. It was a rain affected match and the overs were  Anderson and Jesse Ryder set up a 191-run organization for the fourth wicket, and the previous finished his innings at an unbeaten 131 off 47 balls at a pace of 278.72. His innings included six fours and 14 sixes as the Kiwis proceeded to score 283 and beat the Windies by 159 runs.

1. AB De Villiers (31 Balls)

South African batsman AB de Villiers as of now holds the record for the quickest century in ODIs taking only 31 balls to arrive at his hundred. Playing against the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium, commander AB de Villiers batted easily, scoring 149 runs in a small 44 balls at a strike rate of 338.63.

The magical player had set up a 192-run partnership with Hashim Amla, while hitting nine fours and an enormous 16 sixes in the process of getting to his innings. The record-breaking innings from de Villiers helped the Proteas to post a total of 439/2 - the fourth-most elevated ODI all out ever. The mammoth total was hard for the Windies to chase, and they in the long run lost the game by 148 runs.