Players With Fastest Century in Women’s ODI Matches

When you’re watching a Women’s ODI and the batter brings up a century in under an hour, you know you’ve witnessed something special.

These aren’t just aggressive innings—they’re high-pressure situations where timing, placement, and pure intent come together.

The fastest centuries in women’s ODI cricket reveal players who’ve mastered acceleration without losing control, and the records are genuinely breathtaking.

Meg Lanning’s 45-ball hundred from 2012 still stands as the benchmark—a mark that seemed untouchable until Smriti Mandhana came within five balls of it in 2025. These innings don’t happen by accident.

They require perfect pitch reading, fearless shot selection, and the ability to dominate quality bowling attacks.

Let’s break down the top 10 fastest centuries in women’s ODI history and understand what made each innings remarkable.

Players With Fastest Century in Women’s ODI Matches

The Complete List: Top 10 Fastest Century in Women’s ODI Cricket

Here’s the definitive ranking of female players with fastest century in women’s ODI matches. Only two batters, Lanning and Mandhana, have reached three figures in 50 balls or fewer, which shows just how exceptional these performances were.

Meg Lanning’s Untouchable 45-Ball Masterclass

Meg Lanning’s record-breaking innings at North Sydney Oval in 2012 remains the fastest century by women in ODI cricket.

Opening the batting against New Zealand, she reached 100 off just 45 deliveries—a strike rate of over 200 that seemed almost reckless but was actually surgical precision.

Her final score of 103 from 50 balls included 18 fours and three sixes. What’s remarkable isn’t just the speed, it’s that she did it while chasing a modest 178.

Most explosive hundreds come when teams are posting big totals, and batters are freed up.

Lanning’s came under match-winning pressure, which makes it even more impressive. Australia won by nine wickets with plenty of overs remaining.

The innings set a standard that’s held for over a decade. Even in today’s power-hitting era, no one’s come within four balls of matching it.

Smriti Mandhana: Fastest 100 in Women’s ODI for India

Smriti Mandhana scripted history on September 20, 2025, at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium by smashing the fastest-ever ODI hundred by an Indian batter, male or female.

Her 50-ball century against Australia is now the second-fastest in women’s ODI history.

Chasing a mammoth 413, Mandhana didn’t just survive the pressure—she owned it.

She brought up her 13th ODI century with a sweeping six off Alana King and finished with 125 off 63 balls.

The context matters here: this wasn’t a warm-up game or a mismatch. This was against Australia’s frontline attack in a high-stakes bilateral series.

Mandhana’s acceleration curve was exceptional. She reached fifty quickly, then shifted gears without losing timing.

Her innings equalled Suzie Bates for the second-most ODI centuries by a woman, cementing her place among the format’s elite.

Beth Mooney’s Record-Breaking Day Gets Overshadowed

In the same match where Mandhana made history, Beth Mooney briefly held the third-fastest century record before being surpassed within hours.

Batting at number four, Mooney blasted 138 off 75 balls with 23 boundaries and a six as Australia posted 412, their joint-highest ODI total.

Her 57-ball century matched Karen Rolton’s 2000 effort, and for a few hours, it stood as the second-fastest ever.

The fact that two batters produced such explosive hundreds in the same match tells you about the conditions: a flat Arun Jaitley pitch with short boundaries and true bounce.

Mooney’s innings showcased intelligent hitting. She didn’t just swing hard—she picked gaps, rotated strike, and accelerated at the right moments.

It’s the kind of controlled aggression that defines modern ODI batting.

Karen Rolton’s World Cup Blitz

Karen Rolton’s 57-ball century came during the 2000 Women’s World Cup at Bert Sutcliffe Oval against South Africa.

Chasing just 170, Rolton treated it like a run chase in the last 10 overs, smashing 18 fours and reaching her fifty in 36 balls.

What stands out is the match situation. When you’re chasing 170, conventional wisdom says play safe, knock it around, and finish with wickets in hand.

Rolton ignored that completely. She finished the chase with 25 overs remaining, turning a potential tight game into a demolition.

It’s a reminder that the best explosive innings aren’t always in high-scoring thrillers; sometimes they’re in straightforward chases where batters decide to make a statement.

Sophie Devine’s Dublin Destruction

Sophie Devine’s 59-ball hundred against Ireland in Dublin (2018) was part of New Zealand’s record-breaking 418 total.

Opening the batting, Devine hammered 13 fours and six sixes, finishing with 108 off 61.

Ireland’s attack had no answers, but credit to Devine, she didn’t just take advantage of weaker bowling.

She constructed an innings with clear intent from ball one, using her feet against spin and clearing the front leg against pace.

Her fifty came quickly, and she doubled it without changing approach.

This kind of innings demoralizes opposition teams.

When an opener sets the tone this aggressively, it makes defending any total nearly impossible.

Chamari Athapaththu’s Series-Winning Knock

Chamari Athapaththu’s 60-ball century for Sri Lanka against New Zealand at Galle in 2023 was historic not just for the speed but for the context.

It helped Sri Lanka clinch their first-ever bilateral ODI series win against New Zealand.

Chasing 196, Athapaththu finished unbeaten on 140 off 80 balls. Her fifty came in just 31 deliveries, and she never let New Zealand’s bowlers settle.

She built a match-winning partnership with Nilakshi de Silva and showed that Sri Lankan women’s cricket has genuine world-class talent.

It’s one thing to score quickly in a big chase or while setting a total. Doing it to seal a historic series win adds another layer of pressure, and Athapaththu handled it brilliantly.

Maddy Green’s Maiden International Century

Maddy Green’s 62-ball hundred against Ireland in Dublin (2018) was her maiden international century, and what a way to announce yourself.

Batting at number three, she scored 122 off 77 balls, including 15 fours and a six.

New Zealand posted 491/4, the highest-ever women’s ODI score at the time. Green’s innings was crucial in building momentum after the openers set the platform.

She didn’t just rotate strike—she found boundaries consistently and kept the run rate climbing.

For a first international hundred, the composure and strike rotation were remarkable. Most batters tighten up near a milestone. Green accelerated through it.

Nat Sciver-Brunt’s English Record

Nat Sciver-Brunt holds the record for the fastest century by an England woman in ODIs, 66 balls against Sri Lanka at Leicester in 2023.

She finished with 120 off 74 balls, including 18 boundaries, in a rain-affected 31-over match.

England posted 273/8, and Sciver-Brunt’s knock was the foundation. What’s impressive is the format adaptation; 31 overs isn’t a full ODI, so you’re mentally shifting gears between ODI and T20 modes.

Sciver-Brunt balanced both, playing proper cricket shots while maintaining intensity.

Her innings also highlight modern batting versatility. She’s equally dangerous in Tests, ODIs, and T20s, which shows technical solidity combined with power-hitting ability.

Maia Lewis and the Biggest ODI Win

Maia Lewis’s 68-ball century for New Zealand against Pakistan in 1997 at Hagley Oval helped her team post 455/5 and win by 408 runs, still the largest margin in women’s ODI history.

Lewis scored 105 off 72 balls, anchoring the innings while others exploded around her.

The victory margin tells you how one-sided the match was, but Lewis’s century set the tone.

She played proper cricketing shots, built partnerships, and kept the scoreboard ticking.

This innings is often overlooked because it’s from the late 1990s, but it belongs in any discussion about aggressive ODI batting.

Charlotte Edwards Completes the Top 10

Charlotte Edwards rounds out the list with a 70-ball century against New Zealand at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in 2011.

She finished with 137 off 88 balls, helping England secure a six-wicket win and complete a 3-0 series sweep.

Edwards was known for her consistency and leadership, but this innings showed her attacking range.

The century came in the middle of a successful chase, balancing aggression with match awareness.

It’s fitting that Edwards—one of the most influential figures in women’s cricket—features in this list.

Her career combined longevity with moments of explosive brilliance.

Expert Insight: What Makes These Innings Special

Fast centuries in ODI cricket aren’t just about hitting boundaries. They require reading the match situation, understanding field placements, and knowing when to take calculated risks.

Most of these innings came in winning causes, which shows that the batters didn’t just bat for personal milestones they batted with team context in mind.

The strike rates are exceptional, but what’s often missed is how these batters rotated strikes between boundaries.

You can’t score a 50-ball hundred without converting ones into twos and capitalizing on loose deliveries. It’s a mix of power, placement, and awareness.

Another pattern: several of these hundreds came while chasing. There’s psychological pressure in a chase, but it also gives clarity

you know the target, you know the rate, and you can plan accordingly. These batters used that clarity to attack with purpose.

Fastest Century in ODI: Men vs Women

• For context, AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest 100 in men’s ODI cricket—31 balls against West Indies in 2015. The men’s top 10 features several sub-40-ball centuries, which reflects differences in power-hitting evolution and boundary dimensions.
• However, women’s cricket is catching up rapidly. Mandhana’s 50-ball effort in 2025 shows that the gap is narrowing. As pitches become more batting-friendly and power-hitting techniques improve, we’ll likely see more rapid centuries in women’s ODIs.
• The comparison isn’t about one being better—it’s about recognizing that both formats feature extraordinary batting performances within their respective contexts.

What About Fastest 100 in Women’s T20?

• While this article focuses on ODIs, it’s worth noting that T20 cricket has its own set of rapid centuries. Deandra Dottin’s 38-ball hundred for West Indies against South Africa in 2010 remains the fastest in Women’s T20Is.
• The T20 format naturally encourages faster scoring, so a 38-ball T20 century and a 45-ball ODI century are both exceptional in their own right. ODI hundreds require sustained aggression over a longer format, which adds a different kind of pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who has the fastest century in women’s ODI cricket?

Meg Lanning holds the record with a 45-ball century for Australia against New Zealand in 2012 at North Sydney Oval.

• Which Indian player has the fastest ODI hundred?

Smriti Mandhana scored the fastest 100 in women’s ODI for India—50 balls against Australia in 2025 at Delhi.

• How many players have scored centuries in under 60 balls in women’s ODIs?

Only five players: Meg Lanning (45), Smriti Mandhana (50), Beth Mooney (57), Karen Rolton (57), and Sophie Devine (59).

• What is the fastest century in men’s ODI cricket?

AB de Villiers scored the fastest century in ODI men’s cricket—31 balls against West Indies in 2015.

• Has any player scored multiple fastest hundreds in women’s ODIs?

No player appears twice in the top 10 list, though several like Lanning and Mandhana have multiple ODI centuries overall.

The Future of Fast Scoring in Women’s Cricket

Meg Lanning’s 45-ball record has stood for over 13 years, but Smriti Mandhana came remarkably close in 2025. As women’s cricket continues growing—with better training facilities, increased match exposure, and evolving batting techniques—we’ll likely see more explosive innings.

The top players with fastest century in women’s ODI matches have set benchmarks that inspire the next generation.

Young batters now grow up watching these highlights, studying the shot selection, and developing power-hitting skills from an early age.

The records will be challenged. New names will emerge.

But for now, these 10 innings represent the peak of aggressive ODI batting in women’s cricket—performances that combined skill, intent, and match-winning impact unforgettably.

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