Trace the history of the fastest 100 in ODI cricket — from Kapil Dev's era to AB de Villiers' 31-ball record. Every milestone covered.
Fastest 100 in ODI Cricket History Timeline
Fastest ODI Centuries: Key Facts
Fastest ODI Centuries — Key Takeaways
- AB de Villiers’ 31-ball century (2015) is the fastest in ODI history — 5 balls quicker than the previous record.
- Corey Anderson held the record for just 13 months (Jan 2014 – Jan 2015).
- Shahid Afridi’s 37-ball century at age 16 in 1996 lasted 17 years as the world record.
- South Africa’s Wanderers, Johannesburg is the venue for ABD’s legendary 149* off 44 balls.
- West Indies have conceded the two fastest ODI centuries — to both de Villiers and Anderson.
- All top-3 fastest centuries came in bilateral series (not ICC tournaments) against weaker opposition.
- ABD’s knock included 16 sixes and 9 fours — he reached his hundred off just 31 balls.
- Glenn Maxwell (Australia) features multiple times in the fastest ODI centuries conversation.
- No batsman from the Indian subcontinent appears in the top-3; Afridi’s record was set in Nairobi.
- The average balls per century in the top-10 fastest is approximately 42 balls, vs the typical ~100-ball ODI hundred.
Top 10 Fastest ODI Centuries of All Time
Records ranked by balls faced to reach 100. Data sourced from ESPNcricinfo and ICC official records.
South Africa
New Zealand
Pakistan
South Africa
Australia
England
Sri Lanka
India
New Zealand
West Indies
Chronological Timeline: How the Record Evolved
From the pinch-hitting revolution of 1996 to the Wanderers masterclass of 2015.
Shahid Afridi Sets the Bar — 37 Balls (Nairobi, Oct 4, 1996)
On only his second ODI appearance, 16-year-old Shahid Afridi — batting unusually high in the order after Saeed Anwar lost a glove — walked out and proceeded to assault Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and the rest of Sri Lanka’s attack with extraordinary power. Using Waqar Younis’s borrowed bat, Afridi reached his century off 37 balls with a towering six, breaking the record held by India’s Kapil Dev. Pakistan won the Sahara Cup match convincingly. Afridi’s record would stand for an almost unbelievable 17 years, 3 months and 6 days.
Corey Anderson Ends 17-Year Wait — 36 Balls (Queenstown, Jan 1, 2014)
On New Year’s Day 2014, a largely unknown Corey Anderson — a 22-year-old lower-order batsman making his mark in the New Zealand side — walked in during a run-chase and proceeded to dismantle the West Indies attack with 14 sixes and 5 fours. Anderson reached his century in 36 balls, one better than Afridi’s 17-year-old record. His final score of 131* off 47 balls remains New Zealand’s fastest ODI century. The world gasped — but the record was destined to last barely 13 months.
AB de Villiers Rewrites History — 31 Balls (Johannesburg, Jan 18, 2015)
Thirteen months after Anderson’s record, AB de Villiers produced arguably the greatest ODI innings of all time. Joining a well-set South African innings, ABD accelerated at a pace never seen before in international cricket. He hit 16 sixes and 9 fours, manipulating the field with 360-degree hitting that left commentators speechless. The 100 came off 31 balls — shattering Anderson’s record by 5 balls. His final 149* off 44 balls gave him a strike rate of 338.63. South Africa posted 439/2 and won by 148 runs. The record still stands today as the fastest ODI century in history.
Glenn Maxwell at the MCG — 42 Balls (Melbourne, Jan 15, 2016)
A year after ABD’s Wanderers masterpiece, Glenn Maxwell lit up the MCG with a brutal 42-ball century against Sri Lanka. Maxwell, known as the Big Show, hit 9 sixes and 7 fours in a display of clean hitting that brought him into the conversation for the world’s most destructive white-ball batsman. His 102* off 55 balls remains among the fastest centuries by an Australian in ODIs. Maxwell’s innings is a reminder that ABD’s record, while extraordinary, has inspired a new generation of power hitters.
Jos Buttler’s Cardiff Blitz — 43 Balls (Cardiff, Sep 4, 2019)
Jos Buttler announced himself as one of England’s greatest finishers with a 43-ball century against Pakistan at Cardiff — the fastest by any English batsman in ODI cricket. Buttler’s 116* off 52 balls combined power with placement, targeting gaps in a way that made bowling to him seem futile. His performance was a key moment in England’s white-ball revolution post their 2015 World Cup exit, as they chased 357 successfully. Buttler’s century rate placed him in elite company alongside ABD and Maxwell.
Player Profiles: The Legends Behind the Records
Key Entities: People, Venues & Milestones
AB de Villiers
South African batting genius who retired from international cricket in 2018 holding the record for the fastest ODI century (31 balls, 2015). Ranked among the greatest batsmen of the modern era. Known as Mr. 360 for his ability to hit in all directions.
Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Known as the Bullring, this high-altitude ground (1,753m) in Johannesburg is the venue for ABD’s world record 149*. The altitude adds 6–8 metres to hitting distance, making it one of cricket’s most batsman-friendly venues for power-hitting.
Shahid Afridi
Pakistani all-rounder who set the fastest ODI century record at age 16 in 1996 using Waqar Younis’s bat. His 37-ball century stood as the world record for 17 years — the longest reign in ODI record-holding history.
John Davies Oval, Queenstown
New Zealand’s most scenic cricket ground at the foot of the Remarkables mountain range. Its compact dimensions and short straight boundaries contributed to Corey Anderson’s 36-ball century vs West Indies on New Year’s Day 2014.
Fastest ODI Century (31 balls)
The official world record for the fastest century in One Day International cricket, set by AB de Villiers on January 18, 2015 against West Indies in Johannesburg. Recognised by ICC, ESPNcricinfo and CricketArchive. Still standing as of 2026.
Sahara Cup 1996 (Nairobi)
The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka bilateral series in Nairobi, Kenya where a 16-year-old Shahid Afridi set his 37-ball century in October 1996. Played at the Gymkhana Club Ground at an altitude of 1,795m — the highest-altitude venue in top-level cricket at the time.
Data Tables
| Rank | Batsman | Country | Balls | Score | vs | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 31 | 149* (44) | West Indies | Wanderers, JHB | 18 Jan 2015 |
| 2 | Corey Anderson | New Zealand | 36 | 131* (47) | West Indies | Queenstown | 1 Jan 2014 |
| 3 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 37 | 102 (40) | Sri Lanka | Nairobi | 4 Oct 1996 |
| 4 | Mark Boucher | South Africa | 40 | 147* (68) | Zimbabwe | Potchefstroom | 20 Sep 1999 |
| 5 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 42 | 102* (55) | Sri Lanka | MCG, Melbourne | 15 Jan 2016 |
| 6 | Jos Buttler | England | 43 | 116* (52) | Pakistan | Cardiff | 4 Sep 2019 |
| 7 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 45 | 134* (65) | Pakistan | Singapore | 2 Apr 1996 |
| 8 | Virender Sehwag | India | ~48 | 219 (149) | West Indies | Indore | 8 Dec 2011 |
| 9 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | ~49 | 166 (123) | Ireland | Aberdeen | 1 Jul 2008 |
| 10 | Brian Lara | West Indies | ~52 | 169 (129) | Sri Lanka | Sharjah | 2 Apr 1995 |
| Batsman | Year Set | Year Broken | Duration | Broken By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapil Dev | 1983 | 1996 | ~13 years | Shahid Afridi |
| Shahid Afridi | 1996 | 2014 | 17 years 3 months | Corey Anderson |
| Corey Anderson | 2014 | 2015 | 13 months | AB de Villiers |
| AB de Villiers | 2015 | Still standing | 10+ years | — |
| Country | Fastest Century | Batsman | Year | vs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 31 balls | AB de Villiers | 2015 | West Indies |
| New Zealand | 36 balls | Corey Anderson | 2014 | West Indies |
| Pakistan | 37 balls | Shahid Afridi | 1996 | Sri Lanka |
| Australia | 42 balls | Glenn Maxwell | 2015 | Sri Lanka |
| England | 43 balls | Jos Buttler | 2019 | Pakistan |
| Sri Lanka | 45 balls | Sanath Jayasuriya | 1996 | Pakistan |
| India | ~48 balls | Virender Sehwag | 2011 | West Indies |
| West Indies | ~52 balls | Brian Lara | 1995 | Sri Lanka |
| Venue | Altitude (m) | Record Set | Batsman | Balls to 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gymkhana, Nairobi | 1,795m | 1996 | Shahid Afridi | 37 |
| John Davies Oval, Queenstown | 310m | 2014 | Corey Anderson | 36 |
| Wanderers, Johannesburg | 1,753m | 2015 | AB de Villiers | 31 |
| Potchefstroom | 1,354m | 1999 | Mark Boucher | 40 |
| MCG, Melbourne | 22m | 2016 | Glenn Maxwell | 42 |
ABD vs Anderson: The Two Greatest ODI Centuries Head to Head
AB de Villiers (2015) vs Corey Anderson (2014)
Fun Facts & Lesser-Known Details
- ABD scored 149 runs in just 44 balls — he needed only 13 more balls after his century to score 49 additional runs.
- Corey Anderson’s 36-ball record lasted exactly 382 days before ABD broke it.
- Afridi used a bat borrowed from Waqar Younis — he had never used that bat before the match day.
- West Indies have conceded the two fastest ODI centuries in history (ABD and Anderson) — both in bilateral series.
- Afridi was only 16 years old when he broke the record — the youngest player ever to hold this mark.
- Johannesburg’s altitude of 1,753m means the ball carries roughly 6–8% further, contributing to ABD’s extraordinary hitting.
- Afridi’s century came on only his second ODI appearance — he went on to play 398 more ODIs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & further reading
Every dated entry above was checked against these references. Last reviewed 19 August 2026.