The Indian Premier League (IPL) has transformed cricket by injecting batting aggression into record books never seen before, and scoring centuries at a fast pace is the most thrilling personal feat in the game. In an age when totals unthinkable before are now easily shattered, an aptitude to score triple figures off a few handfuls of balls distinguishes great T20 batsmen from the ordinary ones. Chris Gayle's 30-ball century against Pune Warriors in 2013 is the fastest in the IPL, a record that has resisted the world's most prolifical destroyers' attacks in vain. This record-breaking performance changed batting potential in the format forever, a yardstick that generations of power-hitters after him still measure themselves against. What is impressive about these express centuries is how short they are—even in a game against cricket's most attacking batsmen in extreme pressure to up the ante, hitting a hundred in 43 balls calls for superlative skill, perfect conditions, and a lot of luck. This piece investigates the IPL record's fastest centuries, factoring in batting tactics, game state, and developments in equipment and technique which helped these breathtaking records of rapid-run scoring. Who Scored the Fastest Century in IPL History? Player Balls Match Venue Date Chris Gayle 30 Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors Bangalore 23 April 2013 Vaibhav Suryavanshi 35 Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans Jaipur 28 April 2025 Yusuf Pathan 37 Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians Mumbai 13 March 2010 David Miller 38 Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers Bangalore Mohali 06 May 2013 Priyansh Arya 39 Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Chandigarh 08 April 2024 Travis Head 39 Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore Bengaluru 15 April 2024 Will Jacks 41 Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans Ahmedabad 28 April 2024 Adam Gilchrist 42 Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians Mumbai 27 April 2008 AB de Villiers 43 Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Lions Bangalore 14 May 2016 David Warner 43 Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders Hyderabad 30 April 2017 Chris Gayle (30 balls) Image Source : BCCI Chris Gayle's century off 30 balls at Pune Warriors on April 23, 2013, stands out as the IPL's worst batting performance—a record that has incredibly endured the meteoric increase of T20 scores in the following years. The innings was not just quick; it was calamitous carnage which included 17 sixes, some of them going onto the roof of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. What was so stunning about Gayle's attack was his technical method—instead of mindless slogging, he employed old-fashioned batting techniques with the barest amount of footwork as he built monster power using impeccable timing and humongous upper-body strength. The mental effect of the Jamaican was no less illustrative, watching discomfort Pune bowlers who looked bereft of ideas as Gayle finally fell on 175* off 66 balls—then the record highest individual T20 score at the time. This innings was the pinnacle of "Gayle Storm"—the ideal combination of ideal batting conditions, matchup supremacy against spin-friendly opposition, and a batsman playing at the very peak of his T20 ability. Also Read | Most Runs in IPL at No. 5: Top Scorers Ranked Vaibhav Suryavanshi (35 Balls) Youngest to score a T20 1⃣0⃣0⃣ ✅Fastest TATA IPL hundred by an Indian ✅Second-fastest hundred in TATA IPL ✅Vaibhav Suryavanshi, TAKE. A. BOW 🙇 ✨Updates ▶ https://t.co/HvqSuGgTlN#TATAIPL | #RRvGT | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/sn4HjurqR6 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2025 The 14-year-old, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, delivered an absolute gem of a knock when his side was on the verge of exit from the race of playoffs in IPL 2025. Vaibhav, who already displayed spark in his first two innings, continued to play in the same form in the game against Gujarat Titans in the 47th match of IPL 2025. Vaibhav wrecked havoc on every GT bowler, may it be Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma or Rashid Khan. The southpaw took 17 balls to complete his first half-century in IPL, becoming the youngest player to achieve this feat. He then took just 18 balls for next 50 runs as the batter became the second fastest player to score a century in just 35 balls. In his innings of 101, Vaibhav hammered 11 sixes andd seven fours and his innings was a statement for whole who doubted his ability to play at the biggest stage. Yusuf Pathan (37 balls) Image Source : AFP Yusuf Pathan's 37-ball century against Mumbai Indians in 2010 was the epitome of raw power-hitting which made him the most feared middle-order batsman in T20 cricket during his prime.As opposed to rational century constructions, Pathan's innings were control anarchic—barbarian bottom-handed bludgeoning complemented by aggressive aerial avenues at all costs and regardless of field placements. What was so theatric about the attack was where it was launched from; chasing an unlikely 213, Rajasthan was destined to lose before Pathan spurred his turnaround with eight mammoth sixes. His straight-batted assault—a few balls vanishing onto the Brabourne Stadium roof—was testament to his phenomenal hand-speed and power in the middle. Pathan's method reflected the new "hit out or get out" culture of middle-order batting, substituting consistency with match-winning contribution when it paid off. Though Rajasthan lost in the end despite his 100 from 37 (being run out), this innings settled Pathan's position as India's most natural of T20 power-hitters, one who could convert losing situations into winning ones through sheer destructive capacity against both pace and spin. David Miller (38 balls) Image Source : BCCI David Miller's 38-ball century against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013 is still the template IPL run-chase masterclass.When Kings XI Punjab were 51-3 and required 191 to square the game, Miller's cameo exactly fit risk-calculated taking and record-breaking hitting weight, and mostly in the conventional leg-side sweep. It is not the same as with all the other groups of entrants loading in easier batting conditions on their platter. Miller constructed his own hundred out of a difficult Mohali pitch that had some unexpected bounce. What made this performance stand out was Miller's technical approach—balancing with ferocious swishes yet building power from a phenomenally stable base rather than maximal backlift. His methodical dismantling of RCB's bowling—101* off 38 balls with eight fours and seven sixes—had exemplary shot selection, targeting specific bowlers while showing restraint against others. This innings cemented Miller's "Killer Miller" status and his calm finishing philosophy encapsulated in his own personal mantra: "If it's in the arc, it's out the park." The century set Miller apart as a leading T20 finisher, and the template of middle-order chaos which has been attempted by later IPL finishers. Priyansh Arya (39 Balls) Image Source: BCCI Young lad, hailing from Delhi, entered into the list of players with the fastest centuries in Indian Premier League by scoring a blazing century against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025 at Mullanpur, Chandigarh. The Punjab Kings opener went all guns blazing in the 22nd match of the IPL 2025 between PBKS and CSK. Priyansh opened his innings with Prabhsimran Singh, but it was on the eighth delivery of PBKS innings when Prabhsimran was dismissed for duck. Priyansh kept losing his partners from one end, but the 24-year-old held his nerves and continued playing his shots without any fear. In his innings of 103, Priyansh smashed seven four and nine sixes before losing his wicket to Noor Ahmad. The right-hander reached his hundred in style by smashing Pathirana for a four. Prior to this ball, the youngest hammered three consecutive sixes to the Sri Lanka speedster and this showed how talented the player is. His innings helped his side to reach a mammoth total of 219-6 in their allotted 20 overs. Travis Head (39 balls) Image Source : BCCI Travis Head's 39-ball century for Royal Challengers Bangalore versus in 2024 was a representation of aggressive intent, technical perfection, and tactical awareness of the game.Playing as an opener for Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Australian left-hander demonstrated why contemporary openers opt for initial impact over slow start, unleashing a measured onslaught from the beginning. What distinguished Head's innings was his ability to score in 360 degrees—whereas power hitters have set areas with which they strike, he mixed traditional stroke-production with innovative angles, particularly exploiting through backward point and behind square. The innings were notable for their timing and not for force, Head's hands being ahead of his body to generate late bat speed. Most impressively, Head's century was in the course of an opening stand of 176 with Abhishek Sharma built methodically to counter RCB's middle overs spin-friendly strategy. Head's 102 from 41 (8 fours, 9 sixes) is a prime example of how international exposure and technical flexibility have revolutionized batting in T20 cricket, with traditional stroke players now able to generate acceleration rates once the sole domain of specialist power-hitters. Will Jacks (41 balls) Image Source : BCCI Will Jacks's 41-ball century for Gujarat Titans in 2024 heralded the emergence of England's next-generation T20 specialist, blending old-school technique with modernized refinement of power.On three for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Jacks showed the template for modern top-order T20 batting—beginning methodically before releasing measured destruction once established. What set Jacks' innings apart from customary fast centuries was his technical game, batting in a classical base position while using his height (6'4") to generate unprecedented leverage on length balls. His innings burst into life once he had crossed his fifty, his second fifty arriving off 16 balls—a reflection of the gear-shifting requirement now required by high-level T20 batsmen. Jacks identified specific bowlers and patches of field rather than random aggression, proving particularly merciless on Gujarat's spinners with authority-driven sweep shots and straight drives. Getting 100* off 42 balls (5 fours, 10 sixes), the innings was the perfect marriage between English cricket's new white-ball culture and IPL conditions' idiosyncrasies, and it turned Jacks into one of the most thrilling batting prospects of T20 cricket. Adam Gilchrist (42 balls) Image Source : BCCI Adam Gilchrist's 42-ball hundred against the Mumbai Indians during the first season of the 2008 IPL is arguably the most groundbreaking batting performance in the history of T20 cricket, setting templates for short-form powerplay batting which rewrote the template.In contrast to specially constructed players of modern day T20, Gilchrist took his innate aggressive Test match style to the strategy of the early days' T20, overlaying traditional strokeplay on the emerging tactical landscape of the game. This attack was differentiated by Gilchrist's technical approach—retaining a traditional high elbow and even stance while generating power through record hand speed and perfect timing instead of raw muscle. Pacing the way at Deccan Chargers captain, Gilchrist's 109* from 47 balls had a shot to hand around the wicket, though his signature punches through cover and pulls through midwicket were particularly fruitful. This innings—arriving as T20 batting was establishing its niche skills—went on to show how old-fashioned brilliance could be moulded for the demands of the format. Gilchrist's century set the template of attacking wicketkeeper-batsman which would be followed by contemporaries such as Brendon McCullum and future IPL heroes, showing how cricketing greatness achieved traditionally could provide the foundation for T20 glory. AB de Villiers (43 balls) Image Source : BCCI AB de Villiers' 43-ball hundred against Gujarat Lions in 2016 was the culmination of his image as cricket's all-round batsman, blending traditional greatness with groundbreaking innovation.What made this innings stand out was the shot variety of de Villiers—usual drives and pulls supplemented with his trademark ad-libbing shots like reverse scoops and paddle sweeps that made setting the field virtually impossible for Gujarat's bowlers. As opposed to boundary-oriented power-hitters, de Villiers ensured top-class between-the-wickets running during his acceleration phase to convert ones into twos in addition to causing strike rotation among boundaries. The South African's collaboration with Virat Kohli during this rampage (they scored 229 runs between them) proved their unmatched understanding, mapping the fields through calculated risk-taking. Coming out on 129* off 52 balls with 10 fours and 12 sixes, de Villiers' knock was an exhibition of his gift for making outrageous, near-impossible shots look machine-like through unparalleled hand-eye coordination and strength in his middle and not just brute strength. The century did no better to detail how de Villiers redefined T20 batting by fusing old-fashioned technique with innovative strokecraft and unparalleled versatility to set the blueprint for the holistic modern T20 batsman. David Warner (43 balls) Image Source : BCCI David Warner's 43-ball century against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017 was an exemplar of the Australian opener's evolution from the one-dimensional slogger to outright T20 strategist.This innings contrasted significantly with his earlier profession's hit-ball-over-there-way mentality and reflected Warner's tactical development—selecting specific bowlers and field placings and tailoring his aggressive levels in partnership and game circumstance. Warner's technical advancement could also be witnessed, as refined spin footwork was coupled with his natural brilliance against fast bowling. What made this century different from typical fast hundreds was Warner's command—posting a strike rate greater than 230 without hitting a high number of risk-taking shots but, rather, maximizing boundary chances by pinpoint accuracy and calculated aggression. Being the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Warner's cricket acumen was even more impressive with key opposition battles against the bowling team of KKR and increasingly mounting pace instead of using raw bursts. Finishing on 126 off 59 balls (10 fours, 8 sixes), Warner showed how traditional opening batsmen could modify themselves to T20 requirements without compromising technical basics, further solidifying his position as arguably the most consistent player under eerily varied playing conditions in the format. Also Read | IPL Fair Play Award: What It Is & Why It Matters Conclusion The history of IPL's quickest centuries gives us a fascinating glimpse into the speed of T20 batting's tactical and technical evolution.Chris Gayle's apparently impenetrable 30-ball record has stood up to all sorts of attacks, most recently near misses by Travis Head and Will Jacks in 2024, to prove that that ideal storm of conditions, opposition, and batting condition remains miraculously uncommon. The most intriguing is observing how these show centuries have evolved over the years—anything from trailblazing changes by old warhorses such as Gilchrist and Jayasuriya in 2008 to specialized T20 strategies by current superstars. The strategic acumen has changed dramatically; initial rapid centuries were unbridled aggression, whereas their contemporary equivalents are evidence of targeted selection of particular bowlers, combinations, and field positions. Technical advancements are also evident, with old-fashioned power-hitting complemented by 360-degree stroke-making introduced by de Villiers and developed by later generations. Perhaps above all, these innings have increasingly started to make the impossible possible—what used to feel like miraculous acceleration now feels within reach, extending batting potential with each season. As T20 strategy is developed and power-hitting artistry is perfected further, Gayle's record will increasingly come under pressure, but its staggering durability means that playing the ideal aggressive innings is still cricket's most improbable batting feat.