From Afridi’s six-hitting mayhem to Kohli’s drought-breaking ton, here are the fastest centuries ever struck on Asia’s biggest stage
The 2025 Asia Cup will be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28, with India and PAK possibly facing each other up to three times. Under Suryakumar Yadav's new leadership, India will start against the UAE on September 10 before meeting PAK in Dubai on September 14 — the kind of high-energy night that can ignite individual brilliance.
And brilliance is exactly what the Asia Cup has consistently delivered. Over four decades, batters have transformed this continental tournament into their personal arena, rewriting records with fearless hitting. Few achievements, however, excite more than the sight of a lightning-fast century.
Here are the five quickest hundreds in Asia Cup history — ODI and T20I combined — the innings that left bowlers defenceless and fans breathless.
It was a drought that had stretched for 1,031 days. Then, on a warm Dubai evening, Virat Kohli broke free. Against Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup super-four, he blazed his way to a 53-ball century, finishing unbeaten on 122 from 61.
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With 12 fours and 6 sixes, he batted like a man unchained, driving India to 212. Afghanistan folded for 111, but the night belonged to Kohli — redemption sealed under floodlights.
Few wielded the willow with as much raw violence as Shahid Afridi. Against Bangladesh in Dambulla, he produced one of the Asia Cup’s most destructive knocks: a 53-ball century, studded with 17 fours and 4 sixes.
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He didn’t stop there, smashing 124 off just 60 balls as PAK racked up 385. Bangladesh was defeated by 139 runs, but the real damage was psychological — Afridi at full throttle was cricket's closest thing to an earthquake.
If Afridi was chaos, Sanath Jayasuriya was a controlled demolition. In 2008, he delivered a masterclass of clean hitting in Karachi, scoring his century off 55 balls, punctuated by 16 fours and 6 sixes.
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He finished with 130, propelling Sri Lanka to a commanding victory over Bangladesh by 158 runs. For two decades, Jayasuriya embodied Sri Lankan aggression, and this innings was another reminder of why bowlers feared the “Matara Mauler.”
India’s fastest Asia Cup century in ODIs still belongs to Suresh Raina. Against Hong Kong in Karachi, he reached three figures in just 66 balls, delivering an innings of precision and daring.
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His 101 off 68 balls, with 7 fours and 5 sixes, helped India to a formidable 374. Hong Kong was bowled out for 118, losing by 256 runs, yet Raina's strokeplay lingered longer than the score suggested.
On the opening night of the 2023 Asia Cup, Iftikhar Ahmed ensured PAK's campaign began with a bang. Against Nepal in Multan, he rapidly scored a century off 67 balls, finishing unbeaten on 109 from 71.
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With 11 fours and 4 sixes, his innings helped PAK reach 342 and secure a commanding 238-run victory. For a player often in and out of the team, it was a career-defining performance.
