Which is the greatest century of all time? Many have debated this question tirelessly. Comparing centuries is about more than runs scored. It is about the lasting impact of a single innings on the game itself. A great century does not just win a match. It can define an entire generation of cricketers.
At IceCric, we understand this debate is about more than numbers. We have taken on the task of ranking the greatest centuries to ever grace the cricketing stage. We analyzed the conditions and the quality of bowling attacks. We studied the match situation and the lasting legacy of each innings.
In this feature, we break down the innings that have not only filled scorebooks but have become part of cricketing folklore.
Top 5 Best Cricket Centuries of All Time According to IceCric
1. Ben Stokes – 135* vs Australia, 2019 Ashes
England were dead and buried at Headingley. Chasing 359 to win the third Ashes Test they had slumped to 286 for 9. They still needed 73 runs with just one wicket left. The Ashes were slipping away and then Ben Stokes happened. He played one of the most calculated yet aggressive innings in Test history. He farmed the strike brilliantly while protecting the last man Jack Leach who scored just 1 run off 17 balls at one point.
Ben Stokes smashed Australia’s bowlers to all parts of the ground. His innings of 135 not out came off 219 balls and included 11 fours and 8 sixes. With 17 runs needed he was dropped by Marcus Harris. Jack Leach survived a run out chance when Nathan Lyon fumbled. Stokes then smashed Pat Cummins for consecutive boundaries to seal the win. England won by 1 wicket and the series was kept alive. This remains the greatest Ashes innings of the modern era.
2. Kapil Dev – 175* vs Zimbabwe, 1983 World Cup
India were in deep trouble at 17 for 5 in a must win World Cup group match against Zimbabwe. A loss would have meant elimination from the tournament. Captain Kapil Dev walked in and played the most important innings in Indian cricket history. He defended initially before launching a brutal counterattack. He scored 75 runs in the last 11 overs alone.
His innings of 175 not out came off just 138 balls and included 16 fours and 6 sixes. He put on a crucial partnership of 126 runs with Syed Kirmani for the eighth wicket. India finished at 266 for 8 from their 50 overs and won the match by 31 runs. This innings gave India the belief that they could compete with the best teams. Kapil’s team went on to win the World Cup by beating the mighty West Indies in the final. At the time it was a world record for the highest individual ODI score. This innings changed the course of Indian cricket forever.
3. Virender Sehwag – 219 vs West Indies, 2011 ODI
Just two years after Sachin Tendulkar scored the first ever ODI double century Virender Sehwag went one better. And he did it in his typical no nonsense style. He started attacking from the very first over and never looked back. He reached his fifty off 41 balls and his century off just 69 balls. He reached 200 off 140 balls which was the fastest double century in ODI history at that time.
His innings of 219 came off 149 balls and included 25 fours and 7 sixes. His strike rate was an incredible 146.98. India posted 418 for 5 which was their highest ODI total at the time. India won the match by 153 runs. Sehwag’s innings broke Tendulkar’s record for the highest ODI score. His philosophy of see ball hit ball was perfectly embodied in this knock. He did not just break a record. He redefined what was possible in ODI batting and inspired a generation of aggressive openers.
4. Kusal Perera – 153* vs South Africa, 2019 Test
Sri Lanka needed 304 to win the Test match in Durban. They were 226 for 9 and still needed 78 runs with just one wicket left. What followed was one of the most extraordinary chases ever seen in Test cricket. Perera launched a stunning counterattack against a world class South African attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn and Duanne Olivier. He scored 153 not out off 200 balls with 12 fours and 5 sixes.
His partnership with last man Vishwa Fernando was worth 78 runs. Fernando faced 27 balls and scored just 6 runs while Perera scored 72 of the 78 runs. He hit the winning runs through the covers to seal a 1 wicket victory. This was Sri Lanka’s highest successful chase in Asia. Perera’s innings is regarded as the greatest fourth innings knock in Test history by a visiting batsman. It is often mentioned alongside Ben Stokes’ Headingley heroics.
5. Sachin Tendulkar – 143 vs Australia, 1998 Coca-Cola Cup
This was the innings that announced Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest batsman of his generation. Facing the world’s best attack in impossible conditions at Sharjah he produced a masterpiece. A massive dust storm interrupted the match and reduced the overs while revising the target. Tendulkar attacked from the start taking on Shane Warne, Damien Fleming and Michael Kasprowicz.
His innings of 143 came off 131 balls and included 9 fours and 5 sixes. He reached his century off just 92 balls. India lost the match by 4 runs but Tendulkar’s incredible innings ensured that India qualified for the final on net run rate. Two days later he scored another century in the final to lead India to victory. This back to back century performance is famously called the Desert Storm innings. Wisden rated it as one of the greatest ODI innings of the 1990s.
FAQs.
Q. Who scored 135* against Australia in 2019?
A. Ben Stokes scored 135* at Headingley.
Q. Who scored 175* against Zimbabwe in 1983?
A. Kapil Dev scored 175* in the World Cup.
Q. Who scored 219 against West Indies in 2011?
A. Virender Sehwag scored 219 in an ODI.
Q. Who scored 153* against South Africa in 2019?
A. Kusal Perera scored 153* in a Test.
Q. Who scored 143 against Australia in 1998?
A. Sachin Tendulkar scored 143 at Sharjah.
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