Iraq Thomas unleashes 15 sixes and five fours in blazing knock, eclipsing Chris Gayle's 30-ball ton
Tobago cricketer smashes 21-ball ton
A young batsman from Trinidad and Tobago has smashed what could be the fastest century in Twenty20 history, taking just 21 balls to reach triple figures.
Iraq Thomas finished with an unbeaten 131 from 31 balls in the Tobago Cricket Association’s T20 tournament on Sunday, helping his team Scarborough-Mason Hall chase their target of 152 in just eight overs.
Thomas had scored 97 from 53 balls earlier the same day but he went one better against Speyside, posting an explosive knock that featured 15 sixes and five fours.
West Indies player Iraq Thomas breaks Chris Gayle's record to slam hundred from 21 balls -… https://t.co/AKT01u5L1d pic.twitter.com/yeSIlVQsoY
— Trinidad and Tobago (@TriniTweets) April 28, 2016
It bettered the fastest recorded T20 century – Chris Gayle’s 30-ball ton for Royal Challengers Bangalore against the now-defunct Pune Warriors during the 2013 Indian Premier League season.
In that match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the West Indies superstar’s 66-ball 175 led RCB to a mammoth total of 263.
"I was just very happy to reach my first T20 century,” Thomas told the Trinidad Guardian after the game.
"You can even chase down 180 on this ground because it is not the biggest and it gave me real confidence to go after the bowlers.
"I never thought I would get the runs as quickly as I did but after hitting a few, I realised that something special can happen out there and it came through."
South Africa’s Richard Levi holds the record for fastest century in a Twenty International – 45 balls – scored against New Zealand in 2012, while Gayle broke the record for quickest ton at a World T20 event last month, reaching the milestone in 47 deliveries.