6 fastest centures in ODI cricket

With the advent of Twenty20 cricket, the strike rates in ODIs have gone up to a level that is scarcely believable. There have been times when a run-a-ball hundred was considered a good innings; now, batsmen are scoring centuries at a strike-rate of 50 and entertaining cricket fans in ways that many did not think was possible. Irrespective of the size of the boundaries, batsmen have demonstrated an ability to clear the rope with consummate ease. Let us take a look at the 5 fastest centuries ever made in ODIs following the record-breaking 44-ball 149 by South African captain AB de Villiers in the ODI match against West Indies at Johannesburg on 18 January.

#6 Shahid Afridi (45 balls)

India-Pakistan games are always fiercely contested. But in 2005, Shahid Afridi was determined to ensure that a total of 250 set by India shouldn’t be looked at as a competitive score.

The sight of Afridi the opener is one that makes many tremble, and in Kanpur, he showed just why as he smoked the Indian bowlers to all corners of the pitch. He smashed his hundred off just 45 balls and, at one stage, came close to beating his own record. Although he got out to Harbhajan Singh immediately afterwards, his 102 included nine sixes and 10 fours and ensured that his side won the game with more than eight overs to spare.