Top 5 fastest centuries by an Indian in ODI World Cups ft. KL Rahul 

Team India batters dominated the proceedings in the ongoing ICC men's ODI World Cup 2023 encounter against the Netherlands in Bengaluru.

The Men in Blue have put up a mammoth first-innings total of 410/4, riding on centuries from Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul.

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave India a rapid start by adding 100 runs for the opening. Both batters scored quick fifties before Virat Kohli also chipped in with a smooth 56-ball 51.

After that, it was all Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul show, as both stitched together a 208-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Both the batters showed incredible batsmanship and put on a show in Bengaluru.

KL Rahul, in particular, looked in supreme touch from the outset. Playing on his home ground, Rahul made a superlative century in just 62 balls. His 62-ball ton is now the fastest century by an Indian in ODI World Cups.

On that note, let's take a look at the top five fastest Indians to score a century in ODI World Cups in more detail.

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#5 83 balls - Virat Kohli vs Bangladesh (2011 World Cup)

Virat Kohli after his 100 vs Bangladesh in 2011 [Getty Images]

The man with the joint-most ODI hundreds (49) to his name, Virat Kohli scored his fastest ODI World Cup ton in his maiden World Cup game. The tournament-opener against Bangladesh in 2011 in Mirpur saw Kohli hit a magnificent 83-ball 100.

Kohli, who shared a 203-run stand with Virender Sehwag, hammered eight fours and two sixes. His knock was a perfect foil to Sehwag's freakish innings of 175 off 140 balls.

The two centuries propelled India to 370/4 before the bowlers restricted Bangladesh to 283/9 to win the game by 87 runs.

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#4 81 balls - Virender Sehwag vs Bermuda (2007 World Cup)

Virender Sehwag after his 100 vs Bermuda [Getty Images]

One of the most destructive openers of all-time, Virender Sehwag also unsurprisingly features on the list.

The flamboyant batter struck a 81-ball century in a group stage 2007 ODI World Cup game against Bermuda in Trinidad.

Batting first, India lost Robin Uthappa early on, courtesy of the iconic catch at slips by Dwayne Leverock. This led Sehwag enter the crease, who completely demolished the opposition bowling attack. He added 202 runs for the second with Sourav Ganguly, who scored 89 runs.

Sehwag smashed as many as 17 boundaries and three sixes and ended up with 114 runs off 87 balls. Yuvraj Singh (83 off 46) and Sachin Tendulkar (57* off 29) gave a rocking end to the innings as India went on to post 413/5, the highest team total by India in an ODI World Cup innings.

In response, Bermuda were bundled out for 156 runs, with Ajit Agarkar and Anil Kumble picking up three wickets apiece.

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#3 72 balls - Kapil Dev vs Zimbabwe (1983)

Kapil Dev at the 1983 World Cup [Getty Images]

One of the all-time greatest ODI knocks saw Kapil Dev hit a magical 175* off 138 balls against Zimbabwe at the 1983 World Cup.

In a must-win game, India starred down the barrel as the side was reduced to 17/5. Pacers Peter Rawson and Kevin Curran were all over India when Kapil walked out to the middle.

The Indian skipper took the Zimbabwe unit by surprise as he came up with a resounding counterattack. On a seam-friendly pitch at the Neville Ground, Kapil showed great batting application and negotiated the storm with courage and vitality.

The legendary all-rounder smashed 16 boundaries and six maximums and brought the entire crowd in the stadium to their feet. Kapil reached his hundred off just 72 balls, which is the third-fastest by an Indian batter in the history of the quadrennial tournament.

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#2 63 balls - Rohit Sharma vs Afghanistan (2023 ODI World Cup)

India v Afghanistan - ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023

The current Indian skipper Rohit Sharma clobbered a handsome 131 off only 84 balls in Match 9 of the ongoing 2023 ODI World Cup.

After opting to bat first, Afghanistan made 272/8 in the first innings in Delhi. Afghani skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi scored a well-made 80.

Chasing a modest total of 273 runs, Rohit made a mockery of the target and gave the jam-packed Delhi crowd an entertaining show with his willow.

Rohit judged the lengths brilliantly and put all his might behind each of his strokes to hit 16 boundaries and five big sixes to end up scoring 131 runs.

He reached his century in only 63 balls, which was the then-fastest ODI World Cup ton by an Indian. It was Rohit's seventh century in the showpiece event, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's six centuries to become the batter with the most number of hundreds in ODI World Cups.

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#1 62 balls - KL Rahul vs Netherlands (2023 ODI World Cup)

KL Rahul vs Netherlands [Getty Images]

Exactly a month after Rohit Sharma's heroics against Afghanistan, KL Rahul surpassed his skipper on the list to become the Indian with the fastest ODI World Cup century.

In what was an utter domination by the Indian batting group, Rahul plundered a 62-ball hundred. After Rohit (61), Shubman Gill (51) and Virat Kohli (51) set up a perfect platform, Rahul and Shreyas Iyer made merry.

The two utilised the great batting conditions in Bengaluru and hammered the Dutch bowlers to all parts of the ground.

Rahul, in particular, never looked sluggish as he kept the scoreboard ticking. He played the ball extremely late sometimes to get behind the in-ring fielders for boundaries before going berserk in the death overs.

Rahul reached to his fifty in 40 balls. After that, he switched his gears and entertained the crowd with some sumptuous strokeplay. He brought his up his next 50 runs in only 22 balls, thus raising his bat for a century in only 62 balls.

He was dismissed on the penultimate ball of the innings for 102 off 64.

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