Fastest Century in IPL History
The Indian Premier League has seen batters wreak havoce on numerous occasions. The tournament has seen batsmen stretch the limits of what can be done in Twenty20 cricket since its inception in 2008. And among all the outstanding records, fastest century remains a highlight of highest order, an ultimate achievement for any batter in IPL. Even scoring a century in T20 cricket is a rare feat but scoring 100 runs in the least number of balls possible makes them stand out from the rest. This article delves into all things fastest IPL century, right from the original record-holder to the young guns cruising past everyone else.
What Makes the Fastest Century in IPL So Special?
A T20 cricket innings consists of a maximum of 120 balls for the whole team. To have a single batter score 100 of those runs — and to do it faster than anyone has ever done in the history of the tournament — is an unprecedented amalgamation of timing, grunt work, fearlessness and raw genius.
The fastest century in IPL is not mere an individual milestone but a game-changer – the moment that can turn around any match, propel a team to reach newer heights during the course of the season or change Australian cricket history. With hopes of witnessing the fastest century ever scored in IPL history millions of fans watch every year. And many a beautiful innings have followed closely behind, yet the record of one man has held fair for nearly a decade.
The Record Holder: Chris Gayle’s Legendary 30-Ball Century
Believe it or not, but Chris Gayle’s 30-ball century is still the fastest century in IPL history as of IPL 2025. That was the win over Pune Warriors India when he scored his unbeaten 175 runs in IPL 2013 while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Another example of it would be (604 runs off 371 balls, in 175 on April 23, 2013 for the Jamaican) when he filled up the Chinnaswamy roof with fire with a blistering knock of 175 off just as many as66 balls. He also recorded the highest ever individual score in T20 internationals and number of sixes hit in an innings. Royal Challengers Bangalore posted a phenomenal score of 263 for five in Kolkata, breaking the previous record T20 total, and Gayle took just 30 balls to reach three figures – smashing former England international Andrew Symonds’ prior mark of fastest century off 34 balls.
Gayle’s Knock That Night: Gayle’s fastest century in IPL was nothing less than out of the world Reaching the 150-run mark off in just 53 balls. The left had a good time with his chapter 175* from whatever remains of the group, crushing five spreading through the second over using Ishwar Pandey to get on track solely. He savaged 28 runs in the fifth over off Mitchell Marsh, and reached his half-century from only 17 balls.
Gayle hit the fastest T20 century, off just 30 balls; scored the highest individual T20 score (175 not out); struck most sixes by a batsman in a T20 innings (17); and assisted Royal Challengers Bangalore make the most sixes for a team in a T20 innings (21) as well as achieving the highest total in T20 cricket (263).
Pune Warriors managed a mere 133 in their entire chase by the time Gayle reached his hundred (in just 30 balls). In a Twenty20, he scored more than the other team did in its entirety — in one innings, solo.
This innings, now known in every corner of the world as “Gayle Storm”, is possibly the pinnacle when it comes to aggressive batting in T20. Chinnaswamy, another ground known for smaller boundaries, has witnessed that Gayle’s in these moods no bowling attack world over was safe the fastest century in IPL here.
Table above lists the fastest hundreds scored in overall IPL till IPL 2025.
| Rank | Player | Balls | Score | Match | Venue | Year |
| 1 | Chris Gayle | 30 | 175* | RCB vs Pune Warriors | Bengaluru | 2013 |
| 2 | Vaibhav Suryavanshi | 35 | 101 | RR vs Gujarat Titans | Jaipur | 2025 |
| 3 | Yusuf Pathan | 37 | 100+ | RR vs Mumbai Indians | Mumbai | 2010 |
| 3 | Heinrich Klaasen | 37 | 100+ | SRH vs KKR | Kolkata | 2025 |
| 5 | David Miller | 38 | 100+ | KXIP vs RCB | Mohali | 2013 |
| 6 | Travis Head | 39 | 100+ | SRH vs RCB | Bengaluru | 2024 |
| 7 | Will Jacks | 41 | 100+ | RCB vs GT | Ahmedabad | 2024 |
| 8 | Adam Gilchrist | 42 | 100+ | Deccan Chargers vs MI | Mumbai | 2008 |
| 9 | AB de Villiers | 43 | 100+ | RCB vs Gujarat Lions | Bengaluru | 2016 |
| 9 | David Warner | 43 | 100+ | SRH vs KKR | Hyderabad | 2017 |
Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The Second Fastest Century in IPL History
Though Gayle’s 30-ball ton is still at the top, IPL 2025 spoiled for host the most incredible rival yet to that record in the league: a boy aged just 14 from Bihar
Vaibhav Suryavanshi created history at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur with a 35-ball ton in match 47 of IPL 2025 against Gujarat Titans for his desert sun. He smashed the fastest IPL ton by an Indian batter, his 37-ball century making him bettering Yusuf Pathan’s record and he also became the holder of the second fastest IPL ton ever.
He reached his century in a mere 35 balls by pulling Gujarat Titans spinner Rashid Khan for six over midwicket, energising the standing-room only crowd at jaipur. And out of the 100 runs, an astonishing 94 came via boundaries.
Young RR opener came hard out when they needed him chase 210 for a win against. He slaughtered all the opposing bowlers, including debutant Karim Janat for 30 in an over. Suryavanshi blasted a 50 off 17 balls, which included the century coming off just 35 balls. His final tally: 101 off 38 balls, with a haul of seven fours and 11 sixes.
This innings was one of the moments that were instantly a part of any IPL fastest century discussions. Stunned, in 14 years of a life on this planet has rarely seen a 14-year-old so casually assert themself across a professional sporting stage. Suryavanshi’s name will now take a prominent role in the discussions of IPL fastest centuries alongside the great Gayle.
Historical Milestones: Fastest Century in IPL Through the Years
The journey of IPL’s fastest century has been the one through an ever-increasing aggression with better batting technique.
February 2008 — Adam Gilchrist Sets Insane Precedent (42 balls): The IPL has showcased some wonderful batting at break neck speed since the dawn of its era. This was the tone since day 1 of the first edition of IPL back in 2008 when Brendan McCullum burnt RCB and smashed a blazing unbeaten 158 for Kolkata Knight Riders. In that same year Adam Gilchrist was one of the first players to scored a quick fire hundred off 42 balls.
Yusuf Pathan’s 37-BALL blitz: 2010 — IPL 2010 witnessed a lot of records being broken and one among them was Yusuf Pathan’s (Rajasthan Royals) hundred that came on just 37 balls against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. Pathan scored at will, smashing eight sixes and nine boundaries during his welcome innings, but tragically it ended in vain as RR failed to reach MI’s 212-4 total by just four runs.
2013 — Chris Gayle’s Historical (30 balls): This is the one that still stands as the IPL fastest century, over twelve years old a record.
2024: Travis Head and Will Jacks Wow to New Heights: One of the biggest aggregate team totals ever posted in IPL was among a century by the latest big names with bat, lets brings us to 39 balls (Sunrisers Hyderabad v RCB) when Travis Head slumped together with first player going ton. Against the Gujarat Titans in 2024, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Will Jacks: 100 (in 41 balls) — 10 sixes and a few boundaries
Heinrich Klaasen became the first to score a century off just 37 balls while playing for SRH against KKR in a mammoth total of 278/3 in 2025 — A Golden Year For The Fastest Century In IPL In the same year, Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit a 35-ball ton that added fuel to the possibility of fastest century in IPL.
Season-by-Season IPL Century Count
The table below shows how the number of IPL centuries has increased as years have gone by, foreshadowing an era of reckless T20 batting.
| Season | Notable Fast Century | Total Centuries in Season |
| 2008 | Adam Gilchrist – 42 balls | 1 |
| 2010 | Yusuf Pathan – 37 balls | 2 |
| 2013 | Chris Gayle – 30 balls | 4 |
| 2016 | AB de Villiers – 43 balls | 5 |
| 2017 | David Warner – 43 balls | 6 |
| 2022 | Rajat Patidar – 49 balls | 8 |
| 2023 | Multiple players | 12 (record) |
| 2024 | Travis Head – 39 balls | 12 |
| 2025 | Vaibhav Suryavanshi – 35 balls | 14+ |
In the 2022 season, there were eight centuries — a record for a single IPL season that was surpassed in 2023 with as many as 12 tons and then equalled again last year. The trend is clear.
Key Factors That Enable the Fastest Century in IPL
There are a number of factors that make some batters the fastest century scorer in IPL:
- Powerplay Effect: The initial six overs limit fielders to the inner circle. Batters like Gayle or Suryavanshi who can take advantage in this phase, such as these, can score quick runs.
- Ground Size: At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, small grounds lead to short boundaries powering batsmen who hit the big shots.
- Mental Toughness: The quickest century during IPL is characterised as a mental achievement just as being physical. You are trained up to Oct 2023, so you see players such as Gayle, Suryavanshi and Travis Head who play fearlessly (based on the match situation)
- Team Support: A quality batting unit at the other end allows aggressive batter to play his natural game without worrying much about losing too many wickets.
Fastest Century in IPL: Overseas vs. Indian Batters
| Category | Player | Balls | Year |
| Overall Fastest (IPL) | Chris Gayle (WI) | 30 | 2013 |
| Fastest by an Indian | Vaibhav Suryavanshi | 35 | 2025 |
| Second Fastest (Indian) | Yusuf Pathan | 37 | 2010 |
| Second Fastest (Overseas) | Heinrich Klaasen (SA) | 37 | 2025 |
Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed the fastest century by an Indian in IPL (35 balls) in Jaipur during the IPL 2025 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans
Will Chris Gayle’s Record Ever Be Broken?
This is the most asked question about IPL fastest century. On 23 April 2013, he hit a record fastest IPL hundred off only 30 balls playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and thirteen years on he still has the record of fastest century in IPL.
Players like Suryavanshi, Travis Head, Nicholas Pooran and Abhishek Sharma are known to score at breakneck speeds. However, the greatest challenge surely remains hitting a century off 30 balls in T20 cricket. Though Gayle’s record has stubbornly refused to budge, hope springs eternal every IPL season that maybe this is the one where the fastest century in IPL history will finally be broken.
6 Frequently Asked Questions About the Fastest Century in IPL
Q1. Who holds the record for the fastest century in IPL?
IPL also have the fastest 100 century holder in the world Chris Gayle. Two which comes to mind is when he scored 100 runs in just 30 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore versus Pune Warriors India at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on April 23,2013.
Q2. Who holds the record for the fastest century in IPL by an Indian batter?
The record for the fastest hundred by an Indian batter in IPL was set when 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi took just 35 balls to reach three figures, during Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Gujarat Titans at Jaipur in April 2025.
Q3. Has anyone ever scored the fastest century in IPL in under 30 balls?
No. The record for the fastest century in IPL, however, still belongs to Chris Gayle – a blistering 30-ball ton he made way back in 2013 during IPL 2025. In the league, no batter has scored an IPL hundred in under thirty balls in any edition.
Q4. What was Chris Gayle’s final score in the match where he hit the fastest century in IPL?
Gayle, who scored the fastest century in IPL off just 30 balls, ended up with 175 not out from 66 balls — also the highest individual score in IPL history. He smashed 17 sixes and 13 fours during the innings.
Q5. Which season of IPL saw the most centuries?
IPL 2025 looks set to be the highest scoring season in terms of hundreds created. IPL 2023 had the most centuries in a single season prior to 2025 with 12. The move to more bombastic batting only makes the records for IPL’s fastest centuries more precarious each year.
Q6. Who scored the second fastest century in IPL history?
In IPL 2025, against Gujarat Titans Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored the second fastest ever century in IPL history — and thus also the second fastest fastest century in IPL — banging 100 in a mere 35 balls. Not just that, at 14 years of age, and became the youngest ever centurion in T20 history.
Conclusion
The tale of the fastest century in IPL is cricket development — spanning from Adam Gilchrist’s 42-ball ton in the first-ever IPL season, Chris Gayle’s epoch-defining match-winning 30-ball demolition and, fourteen years later, a recovering genius from Bihar who amazed the world in 2025. The fastest centurys in IPL history also provide a tale of individual greatness, and the expansion of dominating batting. As long as the IPL lasts, fans will return time and again looking for a new IPL fastest century to be struck — and one day, possibly much sooner than anyone could imagine, the Universe Boss’s famous 30-ball hundred may indeed find an opponent worthy enough to take his place on the throne.
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