AB de Villiers rewrote the history books on Sunday, smashing what is now the fastest hundred in ODIs off 31 balls against West Indies at Johannesburg in the second one-dayer. Here’s a look at the new top ten list of fastest hundreds in one-day internationals.
AB de Villiers: The South African one-day skipper needed only 31 balls to blast his way to a hundred, a new world record by some distance. de Villiers was eventually dismissed for a splendid 149, which came from merely 44 balls with 9 fours and an unbelievable 16 sixes.
Corey Anderson: The big-hitting Kiwi was the previous record holder. He blasted a hundred from 36 balls against West Indies at Queenstown January 1, 2014. Anderson ended up with an unbeaten 131 from 47 balls with 6 fours and 14 sixes.
Shahid Afridi: Way back on October 4, 1996, the Pakistani swashbuckler smacked a century from only 37 balls, the then world record against Sri Lanka at Nairobi. Afridi was eventually dismissed for 102 from 40 balls having hit 6 fours and 11 sixes.
Mark Boucher: The former South African wicket-keeper is next on the list. He blasted a hundred from 44 balls against Zimbabwe at Potchefstroom on September 20, 2006. Boucher remained unbeaten on 147 from 68 balls, having hit eight fours and 10 sixes.
Brian Lara: The legendary West Indian is also on the list. Lara made a hundred from 45 balls against Bangladesh at Dhaka on October 9, 1999. Opening the innings, Lara ended up smashing 117 from 62 balls with 18 fours and four sixes.
Shahid Afridi: ThePakistan batsman again makes an entry at number six. He blasted a hundred from 45 balls against arch-rivals India at Kanpur on April 15, 2005. Afridi was dismissed immediately after crossing his hundred. He made 102 from 46 balls with 10 fours and nine sixes.
Jesse Ryder: Theerratic left-hander raced to a hundred from 46 balls against West Indies at Queenstown on January 1, 2014. This was the same game where Anderson broke the world record for the fastest one-day hundred. Ryder ended up with 104 from 51 balls with 12 fours and five sixes.
Sanath Jayasuriya: The brilliant Sri Lankan made a hundred from 48 balls against Pakistan at Singapore on April 2, 1996. The Lankan ended up making a memorable 134 from 65 balls with 11 fours and as many sixes. For a brief while it was the fastest one-day hundred.
Kevin O’Brien: The Ireland batsman is the surprise entry at number nine. He hit a century from 50 balls against England at Bangalore on March 2, 2011. O’Brien blasted 113 from 63 balls with 13 fours and six sixes. The knock enabled Ireland to upset England in the World Cup.
Virat Kohli: The Indian batsman hit a hundred from 52 balls against the Australians at Jaipur on October 16, 2003. Kohli remained unbeaten on 100 from 52 balls with eight fours and seven sixes as India won a high-scoring clash by nine wickets.
--By A Cricket Analyst
