Top Five Fastest T20I Hundreds (By Balls Faced) Ft. Finn Allen

Finn Allen's 33-ball century in SA vs NZ T20 WC semifinal in Kolkata isn't just a personal milestone; it is now officially the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.

Finn Allen’s ton vs NZ tonight is the fastest in a World Cup, but Sahil Chauhan remains the overall T20I king with his 27-ball miracle against Cyprus.

Source : PTI

The landscape of T20 International cricket was rewritten on March 4, 2026, at Eden Gardens. New Zealand’s Finn Allen produced a masterclass in power-hitting during the World Cup semi-final against South Africa, securing his spot among the elite "sub-35 ball" centurions.

Here is the updated leaderboard for the quickest hundreds in T20I history:

27 balls - Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) vs Cyprus, 2024

29 balls - Muhammad Fahad (Turkey) vs Bulgaria, 2025

33 balls - Finn Allen (New Zealand) vs South Africa, 2026

33 balls - Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (Namibia) vs Nepal, 2024

33 balls - Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) vs Gambia, 2024

Finn Allen vs. South Africa

Finn Allen's 33-ball century in SA vs NZ T20 WC semifinal in Kolkata isn't just a personal milestone; it is now officially the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, shattering the previous record held by Chris Gayle (47 balls).

The Powerplay Destruction: Allen led New Zealand to 84/0 in the first six overs - the highest powerplay score in a World Cup knockout match.

Milestones: He reached his half-century in just 19 deliveries before accelerating to the triple-digit mark in another 14 balls.

Six-Hitting Spree: Finn Allen's innings included 12 sixes, frequently clearing the long-on and mid-wicket boundaries at Eden Gardens with ease.

The Elite Club: A Brief History

Finn Allen’s ton vs NZ tonight is the fastest in a World Cup, but Sahil Chauhan remains the overall T20I king with his 27-ball miracle against Cyprus. Interestingly, 2024 and 2025 saw a surge in rapid centuries from Associate nations, but Allen’s 33-ball ton is widely regarded as the most significant, given it came against a top-tier South African attack in a World Cup semi-final.

Finn Allen brought up his century in just 33 deliveries - a knock packed with milestones:

The quickest hundred ever recorded in T20 World Cup history

The fastest century against a Full Member nation in T20 Internationals

Joint third-fastest hundred across all T20Is

Joint fastest T20I century by a batter from a Full Member side, alongside Sikandar Raza’s ton against Gambia in Nairobi (2024)