Top 10 Fastest Centuries in Cricket World Cup History

Forty balls, that’s all it took Glenn Maxwell to go from the crease to three figures against the Netherlands in 2023 a knock so fast it’s still the benchmark nearly three years on, even after a tournament that produced more centuries than any World Cup in history.

Fastest Centuries in Cricket World Cup History

Matthew Hayden’s celebrated 66-ball century against South Africa in 2007 — long a fixture on “fastest World Cup centuries” lists — no longer makes the top 10. The 2023 tournament alone produced five faster hundreds, pushing Hayden’s innings to 11th all-time.

1) Glenn Maxwell — 40 Balls

Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi — October 25, 2023

The outright record. Maxwell walked in with Australia 266/4 and facing the possibility of falling short of a defendable total against the Netherlands. Instead he tore into the attack, reaching fifty at a run-a-ball pace before accelerating sharply — his next 50 came in a blur, and he brought up his century off just 40 balls, still the fourth-fastest hundred in ODI history overall. He finished on 106 off 44 balls with eight sixes and nine fours, powering Australia to 399/8.

2) Aiden Markram — 49 Balls

Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi — October 7, 2023

Markram’s century arrived just one ball slower than O’Brien’s had stood for twelve years — and it came in the very same match that produced South Africa’s world-record 428/5. Coming to the crease at 214/2, he took the Sri Lankan attack apart with 14 fours and three sixes, finishing with 106 as South Africa posted three individual centuries in the same innings for the first time in their history.

3) Kevin O’Brien — 50 Balls

M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru — March 2, 2011

Still the fastest century ever scored by an associate nation’s batter at a World Cup, and the innings that turned Ireland’s chase of 328 from a formality for England into one of the great upsets in the tournament’s history. O’Brien finished with 113 off 63 balls, striking 13 fours and six sixes, as Ireland completed what remains the highest successful chase in World Cup history.

4) Glenn Maxwell — 51 Balls

Sydney Cricket Ground — March 8, 2015

Maxwell’s first World Cup entry on this list, and his first ODI century, period. Batting inside the now-discontinued batting powerplay, he raced to three figures with 10 fours and four sixes, finishing with 102 off 53 balls as Australia posted 376 on their way to beating Sri Lanka by 64 runs.

5) AB de Villiers — 52 Balls

Sydney Cricket Ground — March 27, 2015

De Villiers came to the crease in the 30th over after South Africa lost two wickets in three balls, and simply never let up — fifty in 30 balls, a hundred in 52, and then an assault so ferocious that his next fifty took only 12 more deliveries, still the fastest 150 in World Cup history. He finished unbeaten on 162 off 66 balls with 17 fours and eight sixes, powering South Africa to 408/5.

6) Eoin Morgan — 57 Balls

Old Trafford, Manchester — June 18, 2019

England’s World Cup-winning captain produced the innings of his career at the perfect moment, smashing 17 sixes against Afghanistan — still a world record in ODI cricket — on his way to 148 off 71 balls. His century arrived in 57 balls, still the fastest by an England batter at a World Cup, as England posted 397/6.

7) Heinrich Klaasen — 61 Balls

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai — October 21, 2023

Two weeks after Markram’s record-breaking innings, Klaasen produced South Africa’s second entry on this list. His 151-run stand with Marco Jansen came in just over 12 overs, propelling South Africa to 399/7 on their way to a 229-run win — England’s heaviest ODI defeat on record. Klaasen finished with 109 off 67 balls.

8) Fakhar Zaman — 63 Balls (tied)

M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru — November 4, 2023

Chasing a mammoth 402 to stay alive in the semi-final race, Fakhar tore into New Zealand’s bowling to reach his century in 63 balls — the fastest World Cup hundred by a Pakistan batter, beating Imran Nazir’s 95-ball mark by more than thirty deliveries. Rain intervened with Pakistan well ahead of the revised target, and Fakhar finished unbeaten on 126 off 81 balls with 11 sixes, sealing a 21-run win under DLS.

8) Rohit Sharma — 63 Balls (tied)

Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi — October 11, 2023

Rohit’s century against Afghanistan was his seventh at a World Cup — one more than Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record — and arrived 18 balls faster than India’s previous quickest, Virender Sehwag’s 81-ball hundred against Bermuda in 2007. He finished with 131 off 84 balls, guiding India to their target with 90 balls to spare.

10) Kusal Mendis — 65 Balls

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad — October 7, 2023

Mendis broke Kumar Sangakkara’s Sri Lankan record of a 70-ball century against Pakistan, finishing with 122 off 77 balls including 14 fours and six sixes. His innings, alongside Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 108, helped Sri Lanka post 344 — not enough in the end, as Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 131 carried Pakistan home.