Can a batter really reach three figures before the sixth over has even finished? T20 cricket keeps making that question less ridiculous every season. The fastest century in T20 belongs to Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, who reached his hundred from only 27 balls. Yet overall T20, T20I, and World Cup hundreds sit in separate record categories.
Some older landmarks still matter, while newer hitters have pushed the limit much further. This guide separates those records and shows which innings still stand at the top in 2026. More importantly, each mark belongs to a different setting, which makes direct comparisons more interesting.
Sahil Chauhan set the record against Cyprus in June 2024 with a hundred from just 27 balls. He stayed unbeaten on 144 from 41 deliveries and cleared the boundary 18 times during the innings.
That knock remains the fastest century in T20 international cricket as well. Chauhan beat Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton’s earlier 33-ball record by six deliveries.
The T20 century list changed sharply during 2024 and 2025.
| Batter | Balls | Match | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sahil Chauhan | 27 | Estonia vs Cyprus | 2024 |
| Urvil Patel | 28 | GUJ vs TRI | 2024 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 28 | PUN vs MEG | 2024 |
| Muhammad Fahad | 29 | Turkey vs Bulgaria | 2025 |
| Chris Gayle | 30 | RCB vs Pune Warriors | 2013 |
A batter can take control before the fielding side has time to settle. That early pressure also forces captains to change plans sooner, which can shape the rest of the innings.
Chris Gayle’s 30-Ball 100 Still Matters
Chris Gayle’s 30-ball 100 was actually set as the benchmark. He hit the milestone in 2013 vs. Pune Warriors and hit 175 unbeaten.
And this was among the most celebrated performances in T20 cricket. However, the fastest century in T20 record eventually moved beyond Gayle through three quicker efforts.
Even now, that cricket century remains among the five quickest men’s T20 hundreds.
Finn Allen Changed The World Cup Record
Finn Allen delivered the biggest 2026 update during NZ semi-final vs. SA. He reached his hundred from 33 balls, breaking Chris Gayle’s previous 47-ball tournament record.
That became the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. Allen finished without getting out on 100 from 33 deliveries at 173/1 in 12.5 overs .
Why These Records Keep Falling
Batters now prepare for aggressive scoring from the opening over rather than waiting for later stages. Stronger range hitting and clearer plans against specific bowlers have changed early-innings batting.
However, the fastest century in T20 still requires much more than raw power. Clean contact, field awareness, and almost no quiet deliveries must come together.
Domestic T20 cricket, internationals, and World Cups do not create identical challenges. Therefore, one cricket century should not replace another across every category.
Chauhan owns the overall and T20I marks, while Allen holds the World Cup record. The Khelstake platform helps readers follow those separate records without mixing different levels
The gap behind Chauhan is now very small. Urvil Patel and Abhishek Sharma both needed 28 balls, while Muhammad Fahad completed his hundred in 29. Finn Allen later set a new T20 World Cup mark with a 33-ball century in 2026.
These innings also show how much faster scoring has become in recent T20 cricket. Still, reaching three figures inside thirty balls leaves almost no room for a quiet over. Boundaries must arrive constantly, while mistakes must stay minimal throughout the entire innings. Chauhan remains the record holder today, and breaking his mark will demand another innings far outside normal T20 scoring.
1. Did Chauhan’s 27-ball hundred come in a T20I?
He scored it for Estonia against Cyprus in June 2024, setting both the overall and men’s T20I record.
2. Did Allen break Gayle’s World Cup record?
Allen reached his hundred from 33 balls in 2026, beating Gayle’s previous 47-ball World Cup record.
3. Is Gayle still among the five fastest?
His 30-ball hundred from 2013 remains among the five quickest recorded hundreds in men’s T20 cricket.
4. Has anyone gone faster than 27 balls?
As of 2026, Chauhan’s 27-ball effort remains the fastest officially recorded men’s T20 hundred.
