The fastest century in T20 Blast history sits jointly with Sean Abbott (Surrey) and Andrew Symonds (Kent), both at 34 balls. Symonds set the original mark in 2004, while Abbott equalled it 19 years later in 2023 at The Oval. Martin Guptill (35 balls), Scott Styris (37 balls), and Dan Christian (37 balls) complete the all-time top five.
With T20 Blast 2026 starting on 22 May 2026, this article covers the record list, the innings behind each entry, and why nobody has yet broken the 34-ball ceiling.
Fastest Centuries in T20 Blast: Quick Snapshot
The all-time list is short. Only five batters have crossed three figures in 37 balls or fewer in T20 Blast history.
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Balls | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (joint) | Sean Abbott | Surrey | Kent | 34 | 2023 |
| 1 (joint) | Andrew Symonds | Kent | Middlesex | 34 | 2004 |
| 3 | Martin Guptill | Worcestershire | Northants | 35 | 2018 |
| 4 (joint) | Scott Styris | Sussex | Gloucestershire | 37 | 2012 |
| 4 (joint) | Dan Christian | Notts | Northants | 37 | 2018 |
The T20 Blast has been running since 2003, making it the oldest domestic T20 league in the world. Twenty-three seasons of T20 cricket, and the 34-ball ceiling has held since 2004.
Sean Abbott: 34 balls (2023)
Sean Abbott equalled the fastest T20 Blast century record on 26 May 2023 at The Oval in London. The Australian all-rounder reached three figures in 34 balls during a South Group match against Kent, finishing unbeaten on 110 off 41 balls.
Innings details:
- Surrey were 94 for 5 in the 13th over when Abbott walked in at No. 6
- Kent pacer Kane Richardson conceded 30 runs in the 17th over alone
- Abbott hit 4 fours and 11 sixes in his 41-ball stay
- Surrey posted 223 for 5 and won by 41 runs
- The knock was Abbott’s maiden T20 century
Abbott’s reaction after the match captured the moment well. He said his name being mentioned alongside Andrew Symonds (who he calls “Roy”) made the achievement feel even bigger.
Andrew Symonds: 34 balls (2004)
The original T20 Blast 34-ball century belongs to the late Andrew Symonds, scored on 2 July 2004 at Mote Park, Maidstone. Symonds was opening for Kent against Middlesex in the second-ever season of the Twenty20 Cup.
Key facts on this knock:
- Final score: 112 off ~36 balls
- This stood as the all-time fastest T20 century in any competition for nearly nine years
- Chris Gayle broke the world T20 record only in 2013 with his 30-ball century for RCB
- Played in the second season of T20 cricket in England
- Came in the pre-analytics era, before death-bowling plans existed in the format
Symonds passed away in May 2022 in a road accident in Queensland. His T20 Blast record remains intact, more than two decades after he set it.
Martin Guptill: 35 balls (2018)
Martin Guptill scored 102 off 38 balls for Worcestershire against Northamptonshire on 27 July 2018 at the County Ground, Northampton. The New Zealand opener reached his hundred in just 35 balls.
The numbers behind the knock:
- Strike rate: 268.42
- 12 fours and 7 sixes in 38 balls
- 50 came up in 20 balls, 100 in 35
- Stayed at the crease for just 40 minutes
- Worcestershire chased 188 with 6.5 overs to spare
Guptill’s century was also the joint fourth-fastest T20 century in any cricket at the time. Only Chris Gayle (30), Rishabh Pant (32), and Andrew Symonds (34) had bettered it.
Scott Styris: 37 balls (2012)
Scott Styris scored a 37-ball century for Sussex against Gloucestershire in the Friends Life t20 quarter-final at Hove on 25 July 2012. The former New Zealand all-rounder remained unbeaten on 100 off 37 balls.
What made this innings legendary:
- 9 sixes and 5 fours in 37 deliveries
- An 18th over from Gloucestershire’s James Fuller went for 38 (a no-ball, beamer, full tosses)
- Styris reached his 50 in 24 balls and went from 50 to 100 in 13 deliveries
- The knock won him the 2012 Walter Lawrence Trophy for fastest hundred of the season
- Sussex posted 230 for 4 and won by 39 runs
Styris was 37 years old at the time. He pocketed £5,000 with the trophy and called it “far beyond anything I expected.”
Dan Christian: 37 balls (2018)
Daniel Christian scored a 37-ball hundred for Nottinghamshire against Northamptonshire at the County Ground, Northampton in 2018. The Australian all-rounder’s knock was scored at the same venue where Guptill would later strike his 35-ball century just weeks afterwards.
Key context:
- Northamptonshire’s pitch and short straight boundaries at Wantage Road were a factor
- Christian was a serial T20 Blast performer for several counties (Notts, Sussex, Hampshire)
- His knock came in the same season as Guptill’s, making 2018 a record-breaking summer
- Christian later played for the Sydney Sixers, RR, and DC across other leagues
Both 37-ball centuries occurred at Northampton, suggesting the venue’s batting-friendly nature played a role.
Other Notable Fast Centuries
Just outside the top five, several batters have come close to the 34-ball mark in recent seasons:
- Chris Cooke (Glamorgan): 38 balls vs Middlesex, 31 May 2023, finishing 113* off 41
- Ravi Bopara (Northants): 45 balls vs Surrey, 3 September 2025 (rain-reduced 14-over QF)
- Rishi Patel (Leicestershire): 41 balls vs Northants, 21 June 2024
- Michael Pepper (Essex): 43 balls vs Middlesex, 2 June 2024
- James Vince (Hampshire): 45 balls vs Essex, 2 June 2023
Bopara’s 45-ball 105* at age 40 made him only the fourth player to score a T20 century after turning 40, joining Paul Collingwood, Graeme Hick, and Faf du Plessis.
Why T20 Blast Centuries Stay Slower than IPL or T20Is
The T20 Blast record of 34 balls is significantly slower than:
- T20 fastest century: Sahil Chauhan, 27 balls (Estonia vs Cyprus, 2024)
- IPL fastest century: Chris Gayle, 30 balls (RCB vs Pune Warriors, 2013)
- Syed Mushtaq Ali (Indian domestic): Urvil Patel, 28 balls (2024)
Three reasons English domestic T20 stays slower:
English conditions: County grounds offer lateral movement even in T20s, especially on overcast days. Bowlers who swing the ball into the right-handers reduce six-hitting freedom in the powerplay.
Boundary sizes: Some T20 Blast venues have larger straight and square boundaries than IPL grounds. The Hampshire Bowl, Trent Bridge, and Old Trafford are all bigger than Chinnaswamy or Wankhede.
Stronger domestic bowling: The Blast attracts experienced English seamers, overseas spinners, and now central-contracted England bowlers like Sonny Baker. Yorkers and slower balls get used early.
That said, modern bats and shorter mid-late overs boundaries at venues like Edgbaston have brought scoring rates closer to franchise leagues. The 34-ball mark may not last another decade.
Tom Moody’s Pre-T20 Blast 36-Ball Century
A historical footnote worth flagging: Tom Moody scored a 36-ball century for Warwickshire against Glamorgan at Swansea in 1990. However:
- This was before the T20 Blast existed (the competition began in 2003)
- It was scored before the rule discounting “joke bowling” was introduced
- Moody’s century isn’t counted in modern T20 Blast records
The official T20 Blast record-keeping starts from the first Twenty20 Cup matches on 13 June 2003. Moody’s 36-ball century, while remarkable, falls outside the recognised list.
What to Watch in T20 Blast 2026
The 2026 Vitality Blast runs from 22 May to 18 July 2026, with a new three-group format and Finals Day at Edgbaston. Several players to watch for potential record runs at the 34-ball ceiling:
- Will Jacks (Surrey) – already on the Wisden fastest-century list
- Tom Banton (Somerset) – 12th on Wisden’s all-time list
- Phil Salt (Lancashire) – Hit a fastest T20I century vs South Africa in September 2025
- Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire) – emerging 19-year-old
- Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Hampshire) – South African Test centurion
- Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire) – 18-year-old hitting at 200+ strike rate
The Impact Player rule isn’t used in T20 Blast, but match-winning 34-ball-or-quicker hundreds remain possible on flat tracks.
Related Reads:
Conclusion: Sean Abbott And Andrew Symonds Share The Fastest T20 Blast Century Record
The record has now stood for over two decades since Symonds set the original benchmark in 2004. With the T20 Blast 2026 opening on 22 May, watch the South Group fixtures at The Oval, Hove, and Edgbaston for any sub-35 ball attempts.
Phil Salt’s recent T20I form and Will Jacks’ powerplay hitting make them the most likely candidates to break the 34-ball ceiling. Two decades of consistency suggest it’ll take something special to drop it to 32 or lower.
