From Brendon McCullum To Finn Allen: Fastest Centuries In T20 World Cup History

Fastest centuries in T20 World Cup history [Source: @ICC/x]

Finn Allen shattered a slew of batting records with his turbulent century against South Africa in the semi-final of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Going past Chris Gayle’s decade-old record, the blistering New Zealand opener became the latest recipient of notching up the fastest individual century in the history of a T20 World Cup game.

Following Finn Allen’s Kolkata blitz, here is a look at five of the fastest hundreds recorded by individual batters in T20 World Cups, in terms of number of balls faced.

5. 51 balls – Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) vs Bangladesh, Pallekele, 2012

Former New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum tonked a 51-ball century against Bangladesh in match number five of the 2012 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Batting at number three at the Pallekele International Stadium, the hard-hitting top-order batter blasted 123 runs in all from just 58 balls with 11 scorching boundaries and seven huge sixes.

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McCullum’s hurricane helped New Zealand mount 191-3 in 20 overs, with the rest of his teammates accounting for just 68 runs from the remaining 62 deliveries of the innings.

4. 50 balls – Harry Brook (England) vs Pakistan, Pallekele, 2026

In England’s must-win Super 8 match of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against Pakistan, captain Harry Brook stood up to the occasion with a blistering 51-ball century. The attacking middle-order batter raced to his hundred from just 50 balls after arriving to the crease in just the opening over in a stiff chase of 167 at the Pallekele International Stadium.

Brook hammered down 10 boundaries and four huge sixes, and became the first captain in the history of a T20 World Cup to score a century. The innings also marked his own magnum opus performance in T20I cricket as England scampered to a thrilling two-wicket win.

3. 50 balls – Chris Gayle (West Indies) vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 2007

West Indies behemoth Chris Gayle lit up the opening match of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 with an electrifying 117 off just 57 balls. Batting first against hosts South Africa at the iconic Johannesburg, the T20 juggernaut raced to his century from just 50 deliveries and also became the first cricketer in T20I history to register a triple-figure score.

His 145-run opening partnership with Devon Smith helped West Indies mount 205-6 in 20 overs. In spite of Chris Gayle’s best efforts, West Indies lost the tournament’s curtain-raiser to an Herschelle Gibbs-inspired South Africa.

2. 47 balls – Chris Gayle (West Indies) vs England, Mumbai (Wankhede), 2016

During the earlier stages of the 2016 T20 World Cup, West Indies opener Chris Gayle became only the second cricketer in the history of the tournament to unleash two centuries. This time the broad-shouldered opener brandished his bat at English bowlers at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in March 2016, i.e., nearly a decade after his Johannesburg epic.

Gayle notched up a 47-ball century to remain unbeaten at 100* off 48 balls to guide West Indies to a comprehensive six-wicket win in a chase of 183.

1. 33 balls – Finn Allen (New Zealand) vs South Africa, Kolkata, 2026, Tonight*

Taking on hitherto unbeaten South Africa in the first semifinal of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, New Zealand opener Finn Allen exploded with a 33-ball century at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Chasing 170 for a place in the final, the attacking right-hander shared a 117-run opening partnership with half-centurion Tim Seifert.

Finn Allen reached his half-century from 19 balls, and took just another 14 deliveries to double up his unbeaten score. The 26-year-old clattered eight sixes and 10 boundaries in his turbulent knock, including one to notch up the winning runs for New Zealand in just 12.5 overs.

Through the course of his innings, the cricketer also surpassed Chris Gayle’s decade-old record by a staggering 14 balls to record the fastest century in T20 World Cup history by a landslide margin.

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