Top 5 fastest centuries (100) by Australia batsmen in ODI cricket

Glenn Maxwell has hit the two fastest centuries by an Australian batsman in ODI cricket.

Since the inception of T20 cricket, the mindset of batters has changed in the other formats as well. That is why we are seeing batters taking more risks in ODI and test cricket than ever before.

One of the teams that have embraced an attacking approach in ODI cricket is Australia. They are the most dominant team in ODI cricket history, having won six ODI World Cup titles because they have had numerous match-winners with the bat over the years. This blog will talk about some of them.

In this article, we will discuss the five Australian batters who have hit the fastest centuries in ODI cricket for their country. Notably, the record for the fastest hundred in the ICC ODI World Cup is also held by an Australian batter.

Top 5 fastest centuries (100) by Australian batsmen in ODI cricket:

5. Steve Smith – 62 balls (twice) vs India, 2020

Generally, you don’t associate Steve Smith with power-hitting, but he has two of the top six fastest ODI centuries for Australia. In two consecutive ODI matches against India in Sydney in November 2020, Smith cracked centuries, both off 62 deliveries.

In both games, batting first, Australia posted totals above 370, courtesy of Smith’s sensational hundreds. The hosts won both games by significant margins.

4. Travis Head – 59 balls vs New Zealand, 2023

Travis Head had a dream performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, in which he started with a century and finished with a century. He played his first game of the tournament against New Zealand in Dharamsala and made a statement straight away. Head slammed a 59-ball century against the Kiwis.

He scored 109 off 67 balls, with 10 fours and seven sixes. Australia finished with 388. At one stage, it looked like New Zealand might chase it down, but they reached 383/9. Head won the Man of the Match award for his blistering ton.

3. James Faulkner – 57 balls vs India, 2013

Rohit Sharma slammed his first ODI double century in November 2013 against Australia in Bengaluru, when he made 209 off 158 balls. But, not many would remember the knock that James Faulkner played in the same game, which kept his team alive in the chase until the end.

Batting first, India made a total of 383/6 in 50 overs. In reply, Australia were 132/5 in 22 overs. From that position, they reached 326 runs in 45.1 overs. It was because of a 57-ball ton by Faulkner. He made 116 off 73 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes. But unfortunately, it ended up in a losing cause.

2. Glenn Maxwell – 51 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2015

When Glenn Maxwell gets going, it’s virtually impossible to stop him. He simply tears apart the opposition’s bowling attack. One such innings he played was against Sri Lanka at the SCG during the 2015 World Cup. Batting at No. 5, he slammed a 51-ball century and made 102 off 53 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes.

His innings helped Australia reach 376/9. It was then Australia’s fastest ODI ton. Sri Lanka in reply got all out for 312 runs and lost by 64 runs.

1. Glenn Maxwell – 40 balls vs Netherlands, 2023

Australia won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, and Glenn Maxwell played two iconic knocks in that tournament. He scored an unbeaten 200 against Afghanistan and even before that recorded the fastest century in ODI World Cup history against the Netherlands.

In the game against the Dutch at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, Maxwell broke his own record. He reached a century off 40 balls and made 106 off 44 balls, with nine fours and eight sixes. Australia made 399/8 and dismissed the Netherlands for only 90 runs, registering the second-biggest win in ODI cricket.

(All stats updated till 17 September 2024.)

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