Fastest Century in T20 Internationals

Sahil Chauhan holds the fastest T20I century ever, smashing 100 off just 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024. He finished with a jaw-dropping 144* off 41 balls, hitting 18 sixes — the most in any men's T20I innings. His strike rate of 351.21 made it one of cricket's most dominant individual performances. Associate nations like Estonia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe also feature heavily in these record books. Stick around, and you'll discover exactly why these records keep getting broken.

Key Takeaways

• Sahil Chauhan holds the fastest T20I century record, reaching the milestone in just 27 balls against Cyprus in 2024.
• Chauhan's innings of 144* off 41 balls included 18 sixes, the most ever hit in a men's T20I innings.
• He dominated from the first ball, striking 6, 4, 6 off his opening three deliveries faced.
• Muhammad Fahad's 29-ball century for Turkey in 2025 ranks second on the all-time fastest T20I centuries list.
• Three players share third place, each scoring T20I centuries off 33 balls: Loftie-Eaton, Raza, and Finn Allen.

The Record: Sahil Chauhan's 27-Ball T20I Century

On June 17, 2024, Sahil Chauhan rewrote cricket history when he smashed a 27-ball century in a T20 International against Cyprus in Episkopi — the fastest hundred ever recorded in T20Is and all T20 cricket combined. He finished unbeaten on 144 off just 41 balls, and Sahil Chauhan's unmatched strike rate of 351.21 tells you everything about how brutally he attacked the Cyprus bowling attack.

Chauhan's dominance of the powerplay set the tone early, as he started with a six, four, and six off his first three legal deliveries. He also hammered a 14-ball fifty in the sixth over, clearing the boundary 18 times — the most sixes ever hit in a men's T20I innings — and single-handedly steered Estonia to a stunning victory. This record-breaking century surpassed the previous mark held by Jan-Nicol Loftie Eaton, who had scored a T20I hundred off 33 balls. Away from cricket, Chauhan works as a manager in restaurants in Estonia, making his extraordinary international exploits all the more remarkable.

The Full Top 5 Fastest T20I Centuries, Ranked

Sahil Chauhan's 27-ball century stands alone at the top, but the rest of the all-time fastest T20I centuries list is just as staggering. Muhammad Fahad ranks second, smashing 100 off 29 balls for Turkey against Bulgaria in 2025.

At joint third, you'll find three players all reaching triple digits in 33 balls — Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton's controlled aggression batting for Namibia against Nepal in 2024, Sikandar Raza's 133 not out for Zimbabwe against Gambia in 2024, and Finn Allen's T20 World Cup record century for New Zealand against South Africa in 2026. Allen's stunning knock helped New Zealand chase down South Africa's 170-run target in fewer than 13 overs, sealing a 9-wicket victory in the final.

Rounding out the top five is Kushal Malla's 34-ball century against Mongolia in 2023, one of cricket's most remarkable explosive batting displays from an Associate nation player. Malla's knock of 137 not out came off just 50 balls in total, making it one of the highest individual scores among the fastest T20I centuries ever recorded.

Why Estonia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe Own the Fastest T20I Century Records

Three associate nations — Estonia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe — now own the top three spots on the all-time fastest T20I centuries list, a dominance that's as surprising as it's telling. Associate nation performances have reshaped what's possible in explosive power hitting.

Here's why they've claimed these records:

1. Weaker opposition — Chauhan, Loftie-Eaton, and Raza all faced lower-ranked teams, creating ideal conditions for aggressive batting.
2. Fearless mindset — Associate players carry less pressure, freeing them to swing hard from ball one.
3. High-scoring contexts — Zimbabwe's 344/4 and Estonia's chase of 191 set stages demanding maximum aggression.

You're watching cricket's global growth in real time — these nations aren't just participating anymore; they're rewriting the record books entirely. Chauhan's innings was particularly jaw-dropping, as he hammered 18 sixes in his century knock, the most ever recorded in a men's T20I innings. Remarkably, Chauhan achieved his feat against Cyprus, while Sikandar Raza's 33 ball century came in a match where Zimbabwe posted one of the highest totals ever recorded in T20I cricket.

Where Rohit Sharma's Fastest T20I Century Ranks Among the All-Time List

Few innings in T20I history have matched what Rohit Sharma produced against Sri Lanka in Indore on December 22, 2017 — a blistering 118 off 43 balls, with his century arriving in just 35 deliveries. Understanding the world record progression helps you appreciate Rohit's century significance fully.

He equalled David Miller's 35-ball record set just months earlier, with both men sharing the joint-fastest T20I century mark. No one had reached three figures faster in international cricket's shortest format.

While Chris Gayle's 30-ball IPL century and Andrew Symonds' 34-ball domestic effort are faster across all T20 cricket, those came outside internationals. Rohit's achievement stands tied for first in T20I history — a distinction later shared with Czech Republic's Sudesh Wickramasekara, leaving three players locked at 35 balls. Remarkably, his century arrived in the 12th over of India's innings, making it the quickest in terms of team overs in T20I history.

Along the way, Rohit and KL Rahul combined for a record 165-run opening partnership, setting the foundation for what became one of the most dominant T20I victories India had ever produced against Sri Lanka.

T20 World Cup's Fastest Centuries vs. the T20I All-Time Records

While Rohit Sharma's 35-ball century stands among T20I cricket's elite, a separate but related record book governs the T20 World Cup — and it's worth examining how those marks stack up against the broader all-time T20I list.

Finn Allen's record-breaking pace of 33 balls leads all World Cup centuries, yet it trails the all-time T20I mark. Here's how the comparison unfolds:

1. All-time T20I fastest: Salil Chauhan, 27 balls (Estonia vs Cyprus, 2024)
2. T20 World Cup fastest: Finn Allen, 33 balls (New Zealand vs South Africa, 2026)
3. Pakistan's batting prowess represented: Harry Brook's 50-ball century against Pakistan prompted Sahibzada Farhan's 57-ball response vs Namibia

World Cup centuries carry greater weight contextually, even when the raw numbers fall short of all-time T20I benchmarks. Chris Gayle remains the only player to score two of the fastest centuries in T20 World Cup history, achieving the feat across the 2007 and 2016 editions.

Jacob Bethell's 45-ball century against India ranks as the second-fastest in T20 World Cup history, sitting just behind Finn Allen's 33-ball effort and surpassing the previous record of 47 balls held by Chris Gayle.