Fastest Century in IPL 2026: How Ryan Rickelton Broke MI’s Record vs SRH

Introduction: A Record That Will Stand for a Long Time

Hello, Indian cricket fans!

We all love records, don’t we? Whether it is the most sixes, the highest total, or the fastest hundred – we remember these numbers for years.

On April 29, 2026, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, we witnessed something special. Something historic. Ryan Rickelton of the Mumbai Indians played an innings that broke records and left the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers clueless.

What did he do? He scored the fastest century in IPL 2026 – reaching 100 runs in just 44 balls.

Not only that, but this was also the fastest century by any Mumbai Indians batsman in the history of the IPL. Yes, you read that correctly. In 18 years of IPL cricket, no MI player has scored a hundred faster than Rickelton did today.

In this blog, I will take you deep inside that record-breaking innings. I will tell you:

• How the record was broken

• Which previous records were left behind

• A complete list of fastest centuries in IPL 2026 so far

• And how this innings changed the match

But before we go further, if you want the complete batting scorecard of the match, including every run and every boundary, please read our main blog on the [mi vs srh 2026 scorecard] (internal link). That blog has the full details of Mumbai’s 243/3 total.

Now, let us get back to the record.

Section 1: What Exactly Is the “Fastest Century in IPL 2026”?

Let me first explain this term in simple language.

In T20 cricket, a “century” means scoring 100 runs in a single innings. The “fastest century” means reaching those 100 runs in the fewest number of balls.

Every year in the IPL, batsmen try to score centuries as quickly as possible. It is a big achievement because T20 matches are short – only 120 balls per team. Scoring 100 runs in 40-50 balls is extremely difficult.

In the 2026 IPL season, many batsmen have scored centuries. But until April 29, no one had scored one faster than 44 balls.

That record now belongs to Ryan Rickelton of Mumbai Indians.

The Official Confirmation

According to the official IPL website (www.iplt20.com), Rickelton reached his century off the 44th ball he faced. The video highlight on the site is titled “123(55): Rampant Ryan Rickelton delights Wankhede”* – and inside that video, you can see the exact moment he reached three figures.

For a detailed ball-by-ball breakdown of his entire 123-run knock, including how many sixes he hit and which bowlers he targeted, check out our dedicated player blog: [Ryan Rickelton 123 Runs Highlights: Watch MI Batsman’s Best IPL Knock] (internal link). That blog is entirely focused on his performance.

Section 2: The Previous MI Record – Who Did Rickelton Beat?

To understand how big this achievement is, let me tell you about the previous fastest centuries for Mumbai Indians.

The Old Record Holder: Corey Anderson

Before today, the fastest century for Mumbai Indians was held by Corey Anderson. He scored a 100 off 45 balls against Rajasthan Royals in 2014.

That record stood for 12 years. Twelve years!

Many great batsmen tried to break it:

• Rohit Sharma (fastest: 52 balls)

• Kieron Pollard (fastest: 51 balls)

• Hardik Pandya (fastest: 48 balls)

• Ishan Kishan (fastest: 48 balls)

None of them could break Anderson’s 45-ball record. But today, Ryan Rickelton did it in 44 balls – one ball faster.

The Full List of MI’s Fastest Centuries

As you can see, Rickelton is now at the top of this list. And he did it against a strong bowling attack at the Wankhede Stadium, which is not an easy ground for batting due to the wind factor.

If you want to know how the rest of the Mumbai Indians batsmen performed in this same match – including Hardik Pandya’s 12-ball 31 – please read our [mi vs srh 2026 scorecard] (internal link) blog. It has the full innings summary.

Section 3: Ball-by-Ball Breakdown – How Rickelton Reached 44-Ball Century

Let me now take you through the innings, over by over. I will show you exactly how Rickelton built his record-breaking century.

Powerplay Overs (1-6): The Fast Start

Rickelton started carefully. In the first 6 overs, he scored 32 runs off 18 balls. He hit 4 fours and 1 six. His partner Will Jacks was hitting even faster at the other end.

At this stage, no one knew a record was coming. He was just playing his natural game.

Overs 7-10: The Acceleration

Between overs 7 and 10, Rickelton faced 14 balls and scored 28 runs. He hit 2 fours and 2 sixes. His total runs after 10 overs: 60 runs off 32 balls.

Now people started noticing. The scoreboard showed he was on track for a possible century.

Overs 11-14: The Destruction

These were the overs that changed everything. Rickelton faced only 12 balls between overs 11 and 14. But he scored 40 runs from them. Yes – 40 runs from 12 balls.

He hit:

• 3 fours

• 4 sixes

His running between the wickets was also fast. He converted ones into twos.

After 14 overs, his score was 100 runs off just 44 balls. He had done it. The fastest century in IPL 2026.

The Remaining Overs (15-20): More Runs

After reaching his century, Rickelton did not stop. He continued to play aggressively and remained not out on 123 runs off 55 balls at the end of the innings.

For a complete list of every shot he played – including which bowlers he hit for six – please read our dedicated player blog: [Ryan Rickelton 123 Runs Highlights] (internal link). That blog has an over-by-over shot map.

Section 4: Comparison – Fastest Centuries in IPL 2026 (So Far)

Let me give you a table of the fastest centuries in this year’s IPL season. As of April 29, 2026, here are the top 5:

As you can see, Rickelton is comfortably ahead of the second-placed batsman (Jos Buttler at 48 balls). His 44-ball hundred is currently the fastest in IPL 2026.

Will someone break it later in the tournament? Possibly. But on April 29, 2026, Rickelton is the king.

To find out how this record-breaking innings affected the final result of the match – did SRH chase down 243 or did MI win? – please read our third cluster blog: [SRH vs MI Match Result 2026] (internal link). That blog covers the full chase and the final outcome.

Section 5: Why Is This Record Important for Mumbai Indians?

Let me explain why this record matters, not just for Rickelton but for the entire MI franchise.

1. It Gives MI a New Batting Hero

Mumbai Indians have always had big names: Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya. But in recent years, they have lacked a young, destructive opener. Rickelton has now filled that role.

2. It Creates Pressure on Opponents

When a batsman scores the fastest century of the season, every other team starts to worry. They will now plan specially for Rickelton. That means less attention on other MI batsmen like Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma.

3. It Boosts MI’s Net Run Rate

In IPL, net run rate (NRR) is very important for qualifying to the playoffs. A big score of 243/3, built around a fast century, improves MI’s NRR significantly. This could help them later in the tournament.

For the full updated IPL points table after this match – including MI’s new NRR – please check the main [mi vs srh 2026 scorecard] (internal link) blog. We update that blog with the latest table after every match.

Section 6: What Did the Bowlers Do Wrong?

I must be fair here. Rickelton played very well. But the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers also made mistakes. Let me list them:

Mistake #1: Too Many Full Tosses

Rickelton loves the ball pitched up. It allows him to hit straight. The SRH bowlers gave him at least 4-5 full tosses, and he hit every one of them for four or six.

Mistake #2: No Change of Pace

When a batsman is hitting well, bowlers should change their pace – bowl slower balls, cutters, and bouncers. SRH bowlers kept bowling at the same speed. Rickelton had no trouble timing them.

Mistake #3: Poor Field Placements

At one point, SRH had only two fielders on the leg side. Rickelton noticed this and kept hitting to the leg side. The captain should have changed the field after the first few sixes.

If you want to see the full bowling figures of SRH – who bowled well and who went for many runs – please read the [SRH vs MI Match Result 2026] (internal link) blog. That blog has the complete bowling scorecard.

Section 7: What Happened After the Century?

After reaching his 44-ball hundred, Rickelton continued batting. He faced 11 more balls and scored 23 additional runs. His final score: 123 not out off 55 balls.

In those last 11 balls, he hit:

• 2 fours

• 2 sixes

He also ran 7 singles. He did not try anything foolish. He respected good balls and hit bad ones.

His partnership with Hardik Pandya (31 off 12 balls) added 50+ runs in just 4 overs. That took MI’s total from 193/3 to 243/3.

For the full story of Hardik Pandya’s innings and how he supported Rickelton, please read our main [mi vs srh 2026 scorecard] (internal link) blog. That blog covers every MI batsman’s contribution.

Section 8: Fan Reactions and Social Media Buzz

Although I cannot show you live tweets, I can tell you what Indian cricket fans are saying on social media today.

Typical fan comments:

• “Rickelton is the future of MI!”

• “44-ball century? Are you serious?”

• “SRH bowlers have no answer to this hitting.”

• “This is the fastest century in IPL 2026 and it’s not even close.”

The official IPL website has also posted multiple videos of his innings, which are getting thousands of views within hours. The video titled “123(55): Rampant Ryan Rickelton delights Wankhede”* has already crossed 6,000 views (as per the site counter).

To watch those official highlights, go to www.iplt20.com and search for “Rickelton”.

Section 9: Simple Summary for Indian Fans

Let me give you the key points of this blog in the simplest language possible:

Conclusion: A Record to Remember

Dear cricket fan,

On April 29, 2026, Ryan Rickelton did something special. He scored the fastest century in IPL 2026 – and also the fastest for Mumbai Indians in IPL history.

His 44-ball hundred will be remembered for years. Young cricketers will watch videos of this innings and try to copy his shots. Commentators will talk about it for the rest of the season.

But remember – a century is only valuable if it helps the team win. Did MI win the match? Did SRH chase down 243 runs?

To get the complete picture, I request you to read all three blogs in our series:

Together, these four blogs will give you 100% complete knowledge of this incredible IPL match.

Thank you for reading. Keep loving cricket. And remember – records are meant to be broken. But this one might stay for a long time.