Cricket
What is the Best T20 World Cup Century? A Data-Driven Ranking
Getting a hundred in cricket is always a big deal. In T20s, though, it feels even harder to accomplish. The format allows batters very little time to settle in, and pressure keeps mounting from the first few deliveries itself. Unlike in Tests or ODIs, where a hundred can be built patiently, a T20 century demands clean hitting, aggression and nerves of steel. That’s what makes a T20 World Cup century so special. Since its inception in 2007, the ICC-run tournament has brought together the best bowlers from around the world, posing a tough challenge to the batters. The stage is never short of pressure, making every run hard-earned.
Chris Gayle /Getty Images
Since the first edition in 2007, the World Cup has produced a handful of innings that fans still remember. Chris Gayle, one of the most destructive batters in the shortest format, scored the T20 World Cup's first century in the tournament's first-ever match in 2007. Since then, another 10 batters have reached this milestone. Each century carried its own story, but when we ask which knock truly stands out as the greatest T20 World Cup innings, we need to consider both runs and impact - something explored below.
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Best T20 World Cup Centuries
The SB Market Index ranking looks at both numbers and opinions. The innings are judged through statistics as well as how experts and the media view their importance in World Cup history.
Industry Insights
We looked at reports and opinions from ten leading cricket and sports outlets to see how often these centuries are mentioned when people talk about the greatest or most memorable knocks in T20 World Cup history
| Source Name | BB McCullum | CH Gayle | AD Hales | Ahmed Shehzad | RR Rossouw | GD Phillips | Tamim Iqbal | JC Buttler | SK Raina |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICC Official Site – "Iconic T20 World Cup Moments" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| ESPNcricinfo – "Ranking the T20 WC Hundreds" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cricbuzz – "A History of T20 World Cup Centuries" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wisden – "The 10 Best Knocks in T20 WC History" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sky Sports – "T20's Most Memorable Innings" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| The Guardian – "Defining World T20 Performances" | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cricket.com.au – "Top 10 T20 World Cup Innings" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Reddit r/Cricket – "Best T20 WC Innings" Poll | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sportskeeda – "5 Most Explosive T20 WC Centuries" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| talkSPORT – "Cricket's Biggest World Cup Hits" | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 |
SB Score
| Player | Runs | Balls | 6s | Strike Rate | SB Score |
| CH Gayle | 117 | 57 | 10 | 205.26 | 1.000 |
| BB McCullum | 123 | 58 | 7 | 212.06 | 0.999 |
| RR Rossouw | 109 | 56 | 8 | 194.64 | 0.887 |
| AD Hales | 116* | 64 | 6 | 181.25 | 0.835 |
| Ahmed Shehzad | 111* | 62 | 5 | 179.03 | 0.781 |
| SK Raina | 101 | 60 | 5 | 168.33 | 0.729 |
| Tamim Iqbal | 103* | 63 | 5 | 163.49 | 0.718 |
| GD Phillips | 104 | 64 | 4 | 162.50 | 0.697 |
| JC Buttler | 101* | 67 | 6 | 150.74 | 0.691 |
This score is calculated based on three key metrics from the innings: Strike Rate (40% weightage), Total Runs Scored (30% weightage), and Number of Sixes (30% weightage).
SB Market Index
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | CH Gayle | 1.000 | 10 | 8.200 |
| 2 | BB McCullum | 0.999 | 10 | 8.200 |
| 3 | JC Buttler | 0.691 | 9 | 7.338 |
| 4 | SK Raina | 0.729 | 9 | 7.346 |
| 5 | AD Hales | 0.835 | 7 | 5.767 |
| 6 | RR Rossouw | 0.887 | 4 | 3.377 |
| 7 | Ahmed Shehzad | 0.781 | 3 | 2.556 |
| 8 | GD Phillips | 0.697 | 2 | 1.739 |
| 9 | Tamim Iqbal | 0.718 | 2 | 1.744 |
The Kings of T20 Carnage: Gayle and McCullum
Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum, two of the most destructive batters of all time, are virtually tied for the first spot in our ranking - a perfect example of Brendon McCullum vs Chris Gayle dominance. Both scored 10 out of 10 in Industry Insights, meaning all 10 major cricket sources we studied rate their centuries as iconic. Their SB Scores are nearly perfect: Gayle at 1.000 for his 117 off 57 balls against South Africa in 2007, and McCullum at 0.999 for his 123 off 58 balls against Bangladesh in 2012. Both innings are still considered among T20 cricket's best innings ever.
The Modern Masters: Buttler and Raina
England's Jos Buttler and India's Suresh Raina have produced some of the most exciting knocks in the shortest format. Both appear in 9 out of 10 major cricket sources we looked into, showing that experts and media hold their T20 World Cup centuries in high regard.
Buttler scored an unbeaten 101 off 67 balls against New Zealand in 2021, which earned him an SB Score of 0.691. Raina, on the other hand, got an SB score of 0.729 for making 101 off 60 balls against South Africa in 2010. Both innings were quick and aggressive and are among the highest scores in T20 World Cup history.
The Power-Hitters: Hales and Rossouw
Alex Hales and Rilee Rossouw are also among the elite group of players who have scored a century at the T20 World Cup. Hales scored an unbeaten 116 off 64 balls against Sri Lanka in 2014, hitting six sixes at a strike rate of 181.25, which gave him an SB Score of 0.835. This was also the first-ever T20I century by an English batter. Rossouw, meanwhile, made 109 off 56 balls against Bangladesh in 2022, smashing eight sixes and reaching a strike rate of 194.64. This gave him an SB Score of 0.887. Both innings were aggressive from start to finish. Although they do not appear as often in media lists - Hales is mentioned in seven sources, Rossouw in four - their centuries are among the best seen in the tournament.
Conclusion on T20's Biggest Stage
Looking at both numbers and expert opinions, it’s clear that Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum hold the top spot for the best T20 World Cup century. Their innings made a huge impact on their matches, reflected in both SB Scores and media recognition. But the tournament has seen many other brilliant knocks. Buttler, Raina, Hales, Rossouw, Shehzad, Tamim Iqbal, and Glenn Phillips all reached the rare milestone of a hundred under intense pressure. Each century brought excitement and shaped the match, and showed how special scoring a hundred in T20 cricket is. These are truly some of T20 cricket’s best innings in ICC T20 World Cup history.
Disclaimer – This analysis uses verified career statistics and a specific weighted model incorporating 'Industry Insights'. Different methodologies, weightings, or sources for market perception could yield different conclusions. This is for illustrative and discussion purposes.
Chad Nagel is a passionate sports fanatic who has worked in the sports and betting industry for over a decade. He spent most of his career as an editor-in-chief for Soccer Betting News, South Africa’s leading soccer betting newspaper, owned by Hollywoodbets. His articles have also featured in some of the most respected sports media platforms in the world, such as SPORTbible, Sports Illustrated, Combat Sports UK, and many others.