T20 cricket is one of the fastest-paced forms of cricket that involves aggressive batting and hitting of sixes. It is difficult to score a century in 20 overs as there is not much time left for the batters to form an inning.
The player holding the record for the highest number of centuries in T20 cricket is none other than Chris Gayle from West Indies, who has scored 22 centuries in his T20 career so far. Players like Babar Azam from Pakistan and others have contributed to the list of most centuries in T20 cricket.
This article will help you to know the players with the most centuries in T20 cricket, their records, how different is T20 and T20I centuries and other batting records, updated up to 2026.
Most Centuries in T20 Cricket: Top 10 Players
Chris Gayle tops the all-time chart with 22 hundreds, followed by Babar Azam with 13, along with David Warner, Virat Kohli, Quinton de Kock, and Abhishek Sharma, who too have crossed the double-digit mark in the tally of hundreds.
The table below shows the leading century makers in Men’s All-Time T20 Cricket.
| Rank | Player | Country | T20 Centuries |
| 1 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 22 |
| 2 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 13 |
| 3 | David Warner | Australia | 10 |
| 4 | Virat Kohli | India | 10 |
| 5 | Quinton de Kock | South Africa | 10 |
| 6 | Abhishek Sharma | India | 10 |
| 7 | Jos Buttler | England | 9 |
| 8 | Faf du Plessis | South Africa | 9 |
| 9 | Rilee Rossouw | South Africa | 9 |
| 10 | Sahibzada Farhan | Pakistan | 9 |
1. Chris Gayle – 22 Centuries
Chris Gayle is the batsman who has hit the most centuries in the T20 format. The former West Indies opener is popularly known as the Universe Boss due to his aggressive batting and dominance over the bowling attack.
Chris Gayle has scored 22 centuries in his T20 career and stands miles apart from others who have featured in the all-time list. It is due to his performances in franchise leagues, especially the Indian Premier League, that have made him a legend in T20 cricket.
His most memorable performance came in the 2013 IPL where he struck 175 runs in just 66 balls while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India. He slammed 13 fours and 17 sixes.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 22
- Highest T20 score: 175 not out
- Famous for: Power hitting and explosive opening batting
- Nickname: Universe Boss
Gayle’s record demonstrates how consistently he converted aggressive starts into major individual scores.
2. Babar Azam – 13 Centuries
Babar Azam is one of the finest players in T20 cricket for Pakistan. This is because he is known for his timing, elegance while playing strokes, and ability to be consistent as well as aggressive.
By 2026, Babar Azam had made 13 centuries in T20 cricket and was the second-highest on the list all time. He has been playing for Pakistan and for many domestic and franchise teams.
In contrast to those batters who only rely on power hitting, Babar Azam builds his innings through timing and aggressiveness in his shots and placement.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 13
- Country: Pakistan
- Batting style: Right-handed
- Known for: Consistency and technically sound batting
His century tally puts him among the most prolific T20 batters of the modern era.
3. David Warner – 10 Centuries
David Warner is an Australian opener who has enjoyed considerable success in international cricket and franchise tournaments. His aggressive approach makes him particularly effective during the powerplay overs.
Warner has scored 10 centuries in overall T20 cricket. He has represented Australia in international matches and played for franchises in competitions such as the IPL.
His ability to attack both pace and spin has helped him score quickly against different bowling styles.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 10
- Country: Australia
- Batting style: Left-handed
- Known for: Aggressive opening batting
Warner’s performances across multiple competitions have established him as one of the leading T20 run-scorers.
4. Virat Kohli – 10 Centuries
Virat Kohli is one of India’s most celebrated batters and a major figure in T20 cricket. He is known for his consistency, running between the wickets, chasing targets, and ability to perform under pressure.
Kohli has scored 10 centuries in overall T20 cricket. A substantial part of his T20 career has been associated with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League.
His batting combines controlled aggression with excellent placement. He can accelerate against both pace and spin while maintaining a strong focus on building partnerships.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 10
- Country: India
- Batting style: Right-handed
- Famous for: Run chases and consistency
Kohli’s record shows that T20 success is not based only on six-hitting; timing, fitness, and decision-making are also important.
5. Quinton de Kock – 10 Centuries
Quinton de Kock is a South African wicketkeeper-batter known for his attacking left-handed batting. He has performed in international cricket and several franchise leagues around the world.
De Kock’s aggressive style allows him to score quickly during the powerplay. He can also build longer innings when his team needs a substantial total.
With 10 T20 centuries, he is among the leading century-makers in the format.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 10
- Country: South Africa
- Batting style: Left-handed
- Role: Wicketkeeper-batter
His ability to combine wicketkeeping responsibilities with explosive batting makes him an important player in T20 cricket.
6. Abhishek Sharma – 10 Centuries
Abhishek Sharma is an Indian left-handed batter known for his attacking approach. His performances in domestic cricket and the IPL have made him one of the notable names in modern T20 batting.
By 2026, he had reached 10 centuries in overall T20 cricket. His style focuses on scoring quickly, attacking the powerplay, and putting pressure on bowlers from the beginning of an innings.
Abhishek has also made an impact in T20 International cricket, where his aggressive batting has helped him produce several memorable performances.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 10
- Country: India
- Batting style: Left-handed
- Known for: Aggressive starts and powerful hitting
His career illustrates how younger batters are adapting to the increasingly attacking nature of modern T20 cricket.
7. Jos Buttler – 9 Centuries
Jos Buttler is an England wicketkeeper-batter who has excelled in international T20 cricket and franchise competitions. He is known for his ability to play innovative shots and accelerate the scoring rate.
Buttler’s 9 overall T20 centuries place him among the leading players on the all-time list. His batting is particularly valuable when teams need quick runs without losing too many wickets.
He has also been an important performer in the IPL and other major T20 leagues.
Key records:
- T20 centuries: 9
- Country: England
- Batting style: Right-handed
- Role: Wicketkeeper-batter
Buttler’s versatility allows him to play different roles depending on his team’s requirements.
8. Faf du Plessis – 9 Centuries
Faf du Plessis is a South African batter who has built a successful T20 career through international appearances and franchise cricket. He is known for his athletic fielding, experience, and ability to attack bowlers.
Du Plessis has scored 9 T20 centuries. His performances in the IPL and other competitions have made him a respected name in the format.
His combination of experience and aggressive batting has helped him remain competitive in demanding T20 tournaments.
9. Rilee Rossouw – 9 Centuries
Rilee Rossouw is a South African left-handed batter who has played in international cricket and several franchise leagues.
He is known for his attacking stroke play and ability to score rapidly against both pace and spin. Rossouw has accumulated 9 centuries in overall T20 cricket.
His performances in franchise competitions have demonstrated his ability to make a significant contribution in short-format matches.
10. Sahibzada Farhan – 9 Centuries
Sahibzada Farhan is a Pakistani batter who has established himself through domestic and franchise cricket, along with international appearances.
By 2026, he had reached 9 centuries in overall T20 cricket. His record places him among the leading players in this category.
Farhan’s performances demonstrate the importance of domestic T20 competitions in developing batters who can score big hundreds in the shortest format.
Most Centuries in T20 International Cricket
T20 cricket as well as T20 International cricket are two different types of statistical categories. The former refers to domestic and franchise T20 games, while the latter refers to international T20 games between national teams.
Among men’s T20I cricketers, Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell have achieved five centuries each. There are other players who deserve mention in this context. They include Suryakumar Yadav, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shai Hope.
Even though Rohit Sharma quit T20I cricket in 2024, his career statistics still form part of the all-time statistics.
A batter could hence have a large number of centuries in the overall category of T20 cricket without having an equal number of centuries in T20I category.
Most Centuries in IPL History
Indian Premier League is one of the most famous T20 cricket leagues and has witnessed many great innings that have resulted in a century.
The name of Chris Gayle will always be remembered for his amazing innings and 175* in the year 2013 in the Indian Premier League.
Some other names which hold the honor to score century in the IPL are of Virat Kohli, Jos Buttler, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, among others.
However, the innings scored by players as part of their IPL career are different from their overall T20 career total runs.
Highest Individual Score in T20 Cricket
Chris Gayle’s unbeaten innings of 175 is one of the most memorable innings played in T20 cricket. He made the score playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India during the 2013 IPL.
Gayle scored the score within only 66 balls, which shows that how scoring runs in T20 cricket is easy for batsmen.
This innings included 17 sixes and 13 fours. This inning was memorable in his career and he is known to be one of the most dangerous players of T20 cricket.
Why Are Centuries Difficult in T20 Cricket?
Scoring a century in T20 cricket requires a combination of skill, timing, fitness, and effective decision-making.
The main challenges include:
- Limited overs: Each team generally faces a maximum of 20 overs, giving batters less time to build an innings.
- Attacking field settings: Bowlers and captains frequently adjust their plans to prevent boundaries.
- Wicket pressure: Batters must balance aggressive scoring with the need to remain at the crease.
- Changing bowling strategies: Bowlers use slower balls, yorkers, variations, and spin to restrict scoring.
- Team requirements: Some batters must score quickly from the start, while others need to build an innings before accelerating.
The best T20 batters manage these challenges while maintaining a high scoring rate.
Conclusion
Chris Gayle holds the record for the most centuries in T20 cricket with 22, followed by Babar Azam who has scored 13 centuries. David Warner, Virat Kohli, Quinton de Kock, and Abhishek Sharma all hold the record of having scored 10 centuries.
This shows how important it is to be an aggressive player, maintain consistency and turn good starts into big scores. The competition for the most number of centuries is likely to continue as the popularity of T20 cricket continues to rise.
FAQ’s
Who has scored the most centuries in T20 cricket?
Chris Gayle holds the record for the most centuries in overall T20 cricket, with 22 hundreds.
How many T20 centuries has Chris Gayle scored?
Chris Gayle has scored 22 centuries in overall T20 cricket, the highest total recorded by a player in this format.
Who is second on the list of most centuries in T20 cricket?
Babar Azam is second on the all-time list, with 13 centuries in overall T20 cricket as of 2026.
How many T20 centuries has Virat Kohli scored?
Virat Kohli has scored 10 centuries in overall T20 cricket as of 2026.
Who has scored the most centuries in T20 International cricket?
Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell have each scored five centuries in men’s T20 International cricket.
Also read more: Double Century in ODI: Full List and Records