Published: Feb 28, 2015, 04:31 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 28, 2015, 04:31 PM (IST)
AB de Villiers scored the second fastest century of in the history of World Cup cricket, racing to the landmark in 52 balls. Bharath Seervi lists the fastest World Cup cricket hundreds and relevant numbers.
At Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Match 19 of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, AB de Villiers played a blistering knock. He scored an unbeaten 162 off 66 balls that included 17 fours and eight sixes to help his team post a total of 408 runs for five in 50 overs; South Africa won the match by a record 257 runs. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
De Villiers reached his century in 52 balls; it is the second-fastest century in the history of World Cup cricket behind only Kevin O’Brien’s 50-ball hundred against England at Bangalore in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. De Villiers had completed his 50 in 30 balls and scored the next 50 runs in just 22 balls. The 52-ball century is joint 10th on the list of fastest centuries in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and second-fastest for De Villiers — who had scored a century in 31 balls against the same opponents about a month ago at New Wanderers.
Fastest World Cup centuries (75 balls or less)
| Balls | Player | Runs | For | Against | Venue | Year |
| 50 | Kevin O’Brien | 113 (63) | Ireland | England | Chinnaswamy | March 2, 2011 |
| 52 | AB de Villiers | 162* (66) | South Africa | West Indies | SCG | February 27, 2015 |
| 66 | Matthew Hayden | 101 (68) | Australia | South Africa | St Kitts | March 24, 2007 |
| 67 | John Davison | 111 (76) | Canada | West Indies | Centurion | February 23, 2003 |
| 70 | Paul Stirling | 101 (72) | Ireland | Netherlands | Eden Gardens | March 18, 2011 |
| 72 | Adam Gilchrist | 149 (104) | Australia | Sri Lanka | Kensington Oval | March 28, 2007 |
| 72 | Kapil Dev | 175* (138) | India | Zimbabwe | Tunbridge Wells | June 18, 1983 |
| 73 | Kumar Sangakkara | 105* (76) | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh | MCG | February 26, 2015 |
– Of the five fastest World Cup hundreds, three are by players from Associates.
– Kapil Dev’s 72-ball century in 1983 remained a record till 2003 until John Davison scored a century from 67 balls against West Indies in 2003 at SuperSport Park, Centurion.
– Since 2003 the record has changed twice: Matthew Hayden bettered Davison’s record by scoring century in 66 balls against South Africa in 2007, and O’Brien scored century in 50 balls against England in 2011.
– Adam Gilchrist’s knock came in the final of the ICC World Cup Cricket 2007. It remained his only century from 31 World Cup cricket matches.
– Two entries are from this World Cup, and both happened on consecutive days. Kumar Sangakkara scored a 73-ball century on February 26 and de Villiers, a 52-ball century on February 27.
As de Villiers has scored the fastest World Cup century for South Africa, let us see the fastest World Cup centurions for each of the top ten teams.
Fastest World Cup centuries for each team (test playing teams)
| Team | Balls | Runs | Batsman | Against | Venue | Date |
| Australia | 66 | 101 (68) | Matthew Hayden | South Africa | St Kitts | March 24, 2007 |
| England | 90 | 100 (91) | Kevin Pietersen | West Indies | Kensington Oval | April 21, 2007 |
| India | 72 | 175* (138) | Kapil Dev | Zimbabwe | Tunbridge Wells | June 18, 1983 |
| New Zealand | 90 | 102* (92) | Stephen Fleming | Bangladesh | North Sound | April 2, 2007 |
| Pakistan | 94 | 100 (95) | Saleem Malik | Sri Lanka | Faisalabad | October 25, 1987 |
| South Africa | 52 | 162* (66) | AB de Villiers | West Indies | SCG | February 27, 2015 |
| Sri Lanka | 73 | 105* (76) | Kumar Sangakkara | Bangladesh | MCG | February 26, 2015 |
| West Indies | 82 | 102 (85) | Clive Lloyd | Australia | Lord’s | June 21, 1975 |
| Zimbabwe | 100 | 172* (151) | Craig Wishart | Namibia | Harare | February 10, 2003 |
– There has been no World Cup cricket century from Bangladesh team. The highest by a Bangladesh batsman in World Cup cricket is 87 by Mohammad Ashraful against South Africa in ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
– Kapil’s century was the first by an Indian in ODIs. It remains the fastest by an Indian in World Cups even today. Sunil Gavaskar scored an 85-ball century against New Zealand in 1987, Sachin Tendulkar an 84-ball century against Kenya in 1999, Virat Kohli an 83-ball century against Bangladesh in 2011; however, Virender Sehwag, with an 81-ball century against Bermuda in 2007 is the second-fastest for India in World Cups.
– For South Africa, de Villiers held the record of the fastest World Cup century off 88 balls against Netherlands in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. David Miller scored an 81-ball century in South Africa’s first match of this World Cup against Zimbabwe, but de Villiers has got back his record with a 52-ball century against West Indies.
– Sangakkara scored the fastest cricket World Cup century for Sri Lanka a day before de Villiers did for South Africa. Mahela Jayawardene, with an 80-ball hundred against Canada in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, held the previous record for Sri Lanka.
– Saleem Malik’s century in 1987 is still the fastest World Cup ton for Pakistan. There have been only two centuries in the last three World Cups for Pakistan — by Saeed Anwar in 2003 and by Imran Nazir (in 95 balls) in 2007. They reached the semi-final in 2011, but no batsmen scored a hundred.
De Villiers’ century in 52 balls is also the fastest by anyone against West Indies in World Cups. He bettered Davision’s 67-ball century in ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. Let us see the fastest World Cup centuries against each of the top ten teams.
Fastest World Cup centuries against each team (Test-playing teams)
| Team | Balls | Runs | Batsman | Team | Venue | Date |
| Australia | 82 | 102 (85) | Clive Lloyd | West Indies | Lord’s | June 21, 1975 |
| Bangladesh | 73 | 105* (76) | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | MCG | February 26, 2015 |
| England | 50 | 113 (63) | Kevin O’Brien | Ireland | Chinnaswamy | March 2, 2011 |
| India | 84 | 103* (88) | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | Wankhede | April 2, 2011 |
| New Zealand | 85 | 103*(88) | Sunil Gavaskar | India | Nagpur | October 31, 1987 |
| Pakistan | 92 | 143* (125) | Andrew Symonds | Australia | New Wanderers | February 11, 2003 |
| South Africa | 66 | 101 (68) | Matthew Hayden | Australia | Basseterre | March 24, 2007 |
| Sri Lanka | 72 | 149 (104) | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | Kensington Oval | April 28, 2007 |
| West Indies | 52 | 162* (62) | AB de Villiers | South Africa | MCG | February 27, 2015 |
| Zimbabwe | 72 | 175* (138) | Kapil Dev | India | Tunbridge Wells | June 18, 1983 |
– Against three teams the fastest World Cup century was scored in a World Cup final: against Clive Lloyd did it against Australia in 1975, Jayawardene against India in 2011, and Gilchrist against Sri Lanka in 2007.
– The 85-ball century by Gavaskar was his only century in ODIs.
– The previous fastest World Cup century against Bangladesh was in 83 balls by Virat Kohli in the first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
– The fastest against an Associate team is by Paul Stirling (70 balls) against Netherlands in 2011; the fastest for a Test-playing team against an Associate team is by Jayawardene (80 balls) against Canada in 2011.
We may see few of the entries being replaced by new ones till the World Cup 2015 ends.
(Bharath Seervi is a cricket statistician who is obsessed with digging numbers, facts and records related to the game. An active member of Society of Cricket Statisticians of India, he blogs at www.cricketseervistats.blogspot.com. He can be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SeerviBharath and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SeerviCricket)
