In the past two decades, One Day International (ODI) cricket has seen great change. What had been thought to be a mathematical impossibility, scoring 200 in an inning, has now become the mark of great aggression. Since Sachin Tendulkar broke through the barrier in 2010, the “200 club” has grown, and players have developed quicker, more explosive ways to achieve the mark. By 2026, the pursuit of a double ton has become a show of dominant play.

Here is a list of the top 10 fastest double centuries in ODI history in terms of the number of balls it took to score 200 runs.

1. Ishan Kishan (India) off 126 balls.

In 2022, Ishan Kishan broke the record for the fastest double century in this format. In Chattogram against Bangladesh, the young left-hander went berserk. He achieved the 200 in just 126 balls, which was also his first ODI century, which he turned into a double. His final score of 210 off 131 balls, which included 24 boundaries and 10 sixes, secured his place at the head of that exclusive list.

2. Glenn Maxwell (Australia) – 128 Balls

In the most amazing ODI performance ever seen, Glenn Maxwell single-handedly pulled off a rescue for Australia at the 2023 World Cup. In a match against Afghanistan in Mumbai, Maxwell played through severe cramps and back spasms to post an unbeaten 200. He reached his double hundred in 128 balls, which included 21 fours and 10 sixes, and thus turned what was to be a definite loss into a remarkable victory.

3. Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka) – 136 Balls

Pathum Nissanka made history as the first Sri Lankan to post an ODI double hundred. In the 2024 match against Afghanistan at Pallekele, he put on a display of exquisite timing and power. Nissanka got to the mark in just 136 balls with a final score of 210 not out. That knock was proof that Sri Lanka had found its new batting star.

4. Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 138 Balls

In 2015, the “Universe Boss” took over the World Cup in Canberra with a great performance against the Zimbabwean bowlers. Chris Gayle put on a show of the year performance, which saw him score a World Cup double century. He achieved the mark in 138 balls and went on to score 215 total runs, which included 16 sixes in what was a display of pure Caribbean style.

5. Virender Sehwag (India) – 140 Balls

Virender Sehwag became the second man to reach 200 runs in an ODI. In 2011, at Indore against the West Indies, which also happened to be his captain’s day out as he took over for the first time, Sehwal led from the front with a record-breaking 219. In just 140 balls, he achieved the double century, which also saw him take the opposition apart with what came to be known as his signature hand-eye coordination and minimal use of feet.

6. Shubman Gill (India) – 145 Balls

Continuing in India’s great tradition, which saw the team do so well in this format, Shubman Gill joined the team in January 2023. In a match against New Zealand in Hyderabad, Gill did the bulk of the running between the wickets, which set the stage for the later success. Then, out of the blue, he exploded in the later stages of the game and finished with a score of 200 off 145, which at that time made him the youngest to do so.

7. Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 147 Balls

The man who broke it in is at number seven on the speed list. In February 2010, Sachin Tendulkar became the first male to score a double century in ODIs. Against a strong South African attack in Gwalior, the “Little Master” achieved the mark in 147 balls, which broke a record that had stood for nearly 40 years of ODI cricket.

8. Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) – 148 Balls

Fakhar Zaman, in July 2018, became Pakistan’s first double centurion in a match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. From the start, he dominated the bowling, which saw him reach 200 in 148 balls, and in the end, he finished unbeaten on 210. That performance was key to Pakistan’s huge total.

9. Rohit Sharma (India) – 151 Balls (vs Sri Lanka, 2014)

Rohit Sharma, who is the only man to have scored three ODI double centuries, heads the list. Also in the top two is he who has put up the numbers. In that game against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, which saw him post 264, which is the ever-present record for the highest individual score in ODI history, he also achieved the 200-run mark in just 151 balls before going on to set a world record that still stands today.

10. Rohit Sharma (India) – 151 Balls (vs Sri Lanka, 2017)

Three years down the line, Rohit did it again against the same opponents in Mohali. In the capacity of captain, he put together 200, out of which he didn’t score a run in the first 49, which took 151 balls. But he ended with 208 not out and put on a show of his great skill in setting up an innings’ tempo, and also how to go after the wickets when it was required.

Conclusion

The double century mark has seen a large increase in recent years. We see modern batsmen, smaller boundaries, and T20 play, which has changed the game’s pace. While Tendulkar broke the record, players like Ishan Kishan and Glenn Maxwell have broken the time barriers, which in turn proves that 200 is not a matter of just survival; it is a matter of speed.