T20 cricket continues to evolve rapidly, with batters experimenting with unorthodox shots and bowlers refining variations to outsmart their opponents. While scoring a century in the T20 format remains challenging, modern players are leveraging technology, such as video analysis and fitness trackers, to enhance their performance. The Indian Premier League (IPL) has provided a platform for players to showcase their talent against world-class opponents, resulting in numerous memorable performances. However, some players have stunned cricket enthusiasts with their swashbuckling knocks. This article will delve deep and explore the top five fastest centuries in the IPL.
Chris Gayle
The former West Indies player, Christopher Henry Gayle, holds the record for scoring the fastest century in IPL, breaching the three-digit figure in just 30 balls. On April 23, 2013, the left-handed batter went honkers and bonkers from the word go against the Pune Warriors, toying with bowlers and smashing boundaries for fun. The Jamaican cricketer played a blistering knock of 175 runs off just 66 balls, smashing 13 fours and 17 sixes, propelling his team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), to a mammoth total of 263/5 in 20 overs. The crowd at the Chinnaswamy Stadium witnessed absolute carnage from the southpaw, with Pune Warriors failing to match Gayle’s individual score, managing only 133/9 and suffering a massive defeat by 130 runs. 
Yusuf Pathan
The Indian run machine Yusuf Pathan ranks second on the list of fastest centuries in the IPL and is the fastest Indian to achieve this feat. On March 13, 2010, Mumbai Indians set a daunting target of 213 runs for Rajasthan Royals. With the Royals struggling at 66/4 inside 10 overs, Yusuf Pathan took charge and wreaked havoc with the bat, reaching his century in just 37 balls. The Baroda-born cricketer almost single-handedly turned the tide in favour of the Rajasthan-based franchise. However, his scintillating knock ultimately went in vain as he was run out on the first ball of the 18th over, and the Royals fell short by a slender margin of 4 runs. Yusuf’s 37-ball century was the fastest at that time in the IPL.
David Miller
The South African batter, David Miller, holds the record for the third fastest century in IPL. The left-handed batter achieved this milestone in just 38 balls playing for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2013. On May 6, 2013, Royal Challengers Bangalore set a hefty target of 191 runs for Kings XI Punjab. With Kings XI Punjab tottering at 64/4 in the 10th over, the Protea batter entered the fray and turned the tide of the game single-handedly, pummeling RCB bowlers all around the park and remaining unbeaten on 101 runs off 38 balls with the help of 8 fours and 6 sixes. Miller’s rollicking knock propelled the Punjab-based franchise to chase the target of 191 runs, securing victory by 6 wickets with 12 balls to spare.
Travis Head
Travis Head, a renowned cricketer in modern-day cricket, played a crucial role in Australia’s victory in the ICC World Test Championship and Cricket World Cup in 2023 with his exceptional performance against Team India. Known for his fearless batting approach, the Aussie batter was recruited by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2024 IPL auction. Currently, he is showcasing red-hot form in the 17th edition of the cash-rich league. Head ranks fourth in the fastest IPL century, achieving the milestone in just 39 balls. On April 15, 2024, he delivered a spectacular performance, smashing 102 runs off just 41 balls, which included 9 fours and 8 sixes, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Head’s swashbuckling knock propelled the Hyderabad-based franchise to post a massive total of 287/3 in 20 overs, marking the highest team total in IPL history.
Will Jacks
The English batting all-rounder, Will Jacks, enlisted his name in the fastest century in IPL list, achieving the feat in just 41 balls. Royal Challengers Bangalore roped in Jacks for the 17th edition of IPL, but the right-handed batter didn’t get to feature in the initial few games. However, consistent bad performances in the tournament forced RCB management to bring Jacks into the playing XI, which yielded the desired result for the Bangalore-based franchise, winning 5 games on the bounce by the time of writing this article. On April 28, 2024, the English batter went on a rampage against Gujarat Titans, notching up his century off just 41 balls, helping RCB chase down 200 runs by 9 wickets and 24 balls to spare. The 25-year-old’s scintillating knock has helped RCB improve their net run rate and stay alive in the tournament. Additionally, Jacks achieved another milestone by converting his fifty into a century in just 10 balls, setting a new record for the fastest fifty-to-hundred conversion in IPL history.
