Top 10 oldest cricketers to hit a century in ODI cricket

Only one batter aged above 40 has hit a century in ODI cricket.

A century is always a special landmark for any batter. And scoring a hundred in a limited-overs game is more special when the odds are against you. There have been many ODI centuries registered over the years, but as a player gets older, it becomes tough for the player to score runs consistently or in bulk to touch the three figures.

In this article, we will talk about the top ten oldest batters to score an ODI hundred. In the 50-year history of ODI cricket, there is one batter who scored an ODI ton after crossing 40 years of age. Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar is still the oldest Indian cricketer to score an ODI century. So let’s check out this elite list.

Here are the Top 10 oldest cricketers to hit a century in ODI cricket:

10. Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar scored more than 10,000 runs and scored 34 centuries in test cricket. But in his entire career of 108 ODI matches, he only reached the three-digit figure once. Gavaskar scored it during the 1987 ODI World Cup in Nagpur against New Zealand. He scored an unbeaten 103 off 88 and helped India win. Gavaskar was 38 years and 113 days old when he hit his only hundred in 50-over cricket.

9. Tillakaratne Dilshan

Former Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan did everything in his cricketing career. He kept wickets, bowled, took wickets, and also scored over 10,000 ODI runs. Dilshan scored 22 hundreds in 50-over cricket. His last hundred came against Scotland in Hobart during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Dilshan scored 104 off 99 balls when he was 38 years and 148 days old.

8. David Hemp

Former opening batter from Bermuda, David Hemp, made his ODI debut at the age of 36. He played ODIs between 2006 and 2009 and scored 641 runs in 22 matches with one hundred. His only hundred came against Kenya during the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2009 in Potchesfstroom. He scored 102 not out from 152 balls and helped his team win by 7 wickets at the age of 38 years and 149 days.

7. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction to this game. He is probably the best batter ever to play this game. He retired with 100 international centuries across formats. His 100th ton came against Bangladesh during the Asia Cup 2012 in Mirpur. At the age of 38 years and 327 days, Sachin scored a brilliant 114 off 147 balls, but unfortunately, India couldn’t win that game. Sachin went past Gavaskar’s record of becoming oldest Indian to hit a One-day international hundred in that game.

6. Mohammad Nabi

Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has made enormous contribution to his nation’s cricket. He has been part of Afghan cricket from the very beginning. Nabi made his ODI debut in 2009 and has been playing this format for more than 15 years now. His career-best ODI score came against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in February 2024. He scored 136 runs in a 382-run chase. Though he couldn’t win it for his team, he scored a hundred at the age of 39 years and 39 days.

5. Geoff Boycott

Former English opener Geoff Boycott was a legendary batter who scored over 8,000 test runs. But he could play only 34 ODIs in his career, mainly at the end of his career. In those matches, he scored one hundred, which came against Australia in the 1987 World Cup at the SCG. He scored 105 off 124 balls to help England win. Boycott was 39 years and 51 days old at that time.

4. Ed Joyce

Former international cricketer Ed Joyce made his debut for England, but he didn’t get many chances and later switched to Ireland. He had a rather more successful career for the Irish team. He retired in 2018 and scored 6 hundreds in 78 ODIs. His last ODI ton came against UAE in Dubai in 2018. At the age of 39 years and 119 days, he scored an unbeaten 116 in a chase to help his team win.

3. Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle played international cricket for over two decades. He played between 1999 and 2021 and was certainly one of the most dangerous batters to play the game. He scored 10480 runs and 25 centuries in ODIs. His last One-day international hundred came against England while chasing 419 in St. George in 2019. Gayle slammed 162 off 97 balls with 11 fours and 14 sixes but could not help his team, and they lost the game by only 29 runs. Gayle scored this hundred at the age of 39 years and 159 days.

2. Sanath Jayasuriya

Former Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya was one of the best all-rounders in ODIs. He retired with 13,430 runs and 323 wickets in 50-over cricket including 28 centuries. His last ODI hundred came against India in Dambulla in 2009. The southpaw scored 107 off 114 in tough conditions, but Sri Lanka lost the game. Jayasuriya was 39 years and 212 days old during that game.

1. Khurram Khan

Former UAE top-order batter Khurram Khan holds the record for being the oldest batter to score an ODI ton. He played 16 One-Day Internationals for the UAE between 2004 and 2015 and scored one hundred. He made his only century against Afghanistan while chasing 281 in 2014. Khurram scored 132 not out from 137 balls and helped his team chase down 281 runs. He was 43 years and 162 days old at the time when he scored his hundred.

(All stats updated till 29th February, 2024)

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