Indian batter breaks Chris Gayle's record for fastest T20 century

Gujarat's Urvil Patel made history by smashing the fastest T20 century by an Indian batter, a day after going unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

In a stunning display of power-hitting, Patel struck a blistering 28-ball century in Gujarat’s eight-wicket win over Tripura in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at Emerald Heights International School Ground on Wednesday. His remarkable century broke the record previously held by Rishabh Pant, who took 32 balls to score a T20 century for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh in 2018.

Patel’s 113* off just 35 balls included seven fours and an astonishing 12 sixes, leading Gujarat to chase down Tripura’s target of 156 with 58 balls to spare. This breathtaking knock was not only the fastest century by an Indian in T20 cricket, but also the second-fastest in the history of the format, behind only Estonia's Sahil Chauhan, who reached three figures in 27 balls against Cyprus earlier this year.

Fastest Centuries in T20s:

1. Sahil Chauhan (Estonia) – 27 balls vs Cyprus, 2024
2. Urvil Patel (India) – 28 balls vs Tripura, 2024
3. Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 30 balls vs Pune Warriors India, 2013
4. Rishabh Pant (India) – 32 balls vs Himachal Pradesh, 2018

Apart from his T20 heroics, Patel also holds the record for the second-fastest List A century by an Indian, achieving a 41-ball ton against Arunachal Pradesh in November 2023. His blistering innings was just one ball shy of Yousuf Pathan’s 40-ball century for Baroda in 2010.

Though Patel was picked up by Gujarat Titans (GT) for INR 20 lacs in the previous IPL auction, he failed to make it to the playing XI and was later released by the franchise. Despite his IPL setback, Patel's record-breaking performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has put him back in the spotlight and showcased his immense potential in T20 cricket.