The power-hitting strokes of the batters are one of the main reasons that Indian cricket fans enjoy the dynamic pace of the T20 international (T20I) format. In this process, the Indian batters succeed in accomplishing big scores and breaking sensational records.
Scoring a T20I century is a remarkable feat in any batsman’s career, which most of the Indian cricketers have succeeded in achieving in recent times.
Moreover, scoring a quickfire hundred in the shortest format of international cricket deserves special applause that completely uplifts a team’s total. For example, Estonia’s batsman Sahil Chauhan recorded the fastest T20I century in just 27 balls. But, considering the full-time cricket nations, it is South Africa’s David Miller and former T20I captain Rohit Sharma who jointly hold the record of scoring the fastest hundred in just 35 balls.
India’s right-handed batter Sanju Samson is the latest entry in the list who overcame all his obstacles to achieve his maiden T20I ton against Bangladesh on 12th October 2024 (Saturday). The 29-year-old cricketer batting at the opening slot recorded the second-fastest ton in T20I cricket, thereby surpassing the previous records of other Indian batters such as Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Abhishek Sharma.
Let’s find out the top five Indian batsmen who recorded the fastest centuries in T20Is under 50 deliveries.
1. Rohit Sharma: 35 Ball-Hundred vs Sri Lanka in Indore (2017)
Team India’s T20 World Cup 2024 winning captain Rohit Sharma ranks at the leading position among other Indian batters to record the fastest T20I century in just 35 balls. Also, it is the fourth joint fastest in T20Is.
As an opening batter, the Hitman scored 118 runs from just 43 balls, by smashing 12 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 274.42, which steered India to a massive total of 260-5 in 20 overs. Rohit’s devastating knock thrashed Sri Lanka to an 88-run victory to take an unrivaled 2-0 lead in the 3-match home T20I series.
2. Sanju Samson: 40 Ball-Hundred vs Bangladesh in Hyderabad (2024)
The opening batter Sanju Samson’s 40-ball century has become the talk of the town and steered India to its highest-ever T20I total of 297-6 in 20 overs. Having missed out on a big opportunity in the first two matches of the T20I series against Bangladesh, Samson was under immense pressure to make a noteworthy contribution to his team.
His master-class knock of 111 runs from 47 balls (including 11 fours and 8 sixes) at a strike rate of 236.17, guided India to a 133-run victory to seal the series with a complete 3-0 whitewash.
3. Suryakumar Yadav: 45 Ball-Hundred vs Sri Lanka in Rajkot (2023)
In the third and final T20I match against Sri Lanka in January 2023, the world’s best T20I batsman Suryakumar Yadav recorded his 45-ball century that helped India win the series on a thrilling note with 2-1.
With the series being leveled at 1-1, SKY exhibited his peak form by scoring an unbeaten 112 runs from just 51 balls (including 7 fours and 9 sixes) at a massive strike rate of 219.61. As a result, India posted a staggering total of 228-5 in 20 overs. The target proved too tough for the Sri Lankan batters as India pulled off a tremendous 91-run victory at Rajkot to emerge as the T20I series winners.
4. KL Rahul: 46 Ball-Hundred vs West Indies in Lauderhill (2016)
The right-handed batter KL Rahul’s 46-ball century provided a tough competition to the West Indies bowlers.
Chasing a gigantic target of 246 in 20 overs in the opening clash of the 2-match T20I series, Team India was left clueless at 137-3 in 11.5 overs. Especially, after the dismissal of their opening batter Rohit Sharma, who scored a brisk 62 runs from 28 balls (including 4 fours and 4 sixes), KL Rahul and MS Dhoni paired up to maintain a 107-run partnership.
However, Rahul’s 110 runs from 51 balls (including 12 fours and 5 sixes) went in vain as India fell one run short of recording one of the most thrilling run chases in T20I history.
5. Abhishek Sharma: 46 Ball-Hundred vs Zimbabwe in Harare (2024)
Making his international debut in the Zimbabwe series as a young cricketer, Abhishek Sharma scored a 47-ball century by reaching his maiden ton in the 46th delivery itself. He smashed 7 fours and 8 sixes at a strike rate of 212.76 that propelled India to post a challenging total of 234-2 in 20 overs.
Team India under Shubman Gill’s captaincy secured a 100-run victory to level the five-match T20I series with 1-1. It was a proud and memorable moment for Abhishek to receive his maiden Player of the Match award for exhibiting a world-class batting performance at the international level. After scoring a 4-ball-duck in his first game, the 24-year-old all-rounder made an impressive comeback as a solid left-handed opening batter for his team in the next game. Ultimately, Abhishek at an early stage of his cricketing career holds an exceptional record as the fifth-fastest century among the other Indian batters in men’s T20 cricket
