Tim David Blasts the Fastest T20I Century for Australia
Records were meant to be broken, but usually not like this. Tim David hammered his way into the fastest T20I century for Australia with a whirlwind 102 not out off just 37 balls. This happened in the third T20I against the West Indies on a lively pitch at Warner Park, St Kitts. And if the record wasn’t wild enough, here’s the twist: David did it wielding a borrowed bat, once owned by West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell—who had hung up his international boots only the game before.
The chase was no cakewalk. Australia needed to conquer a stiff target of 215, and things were looking grim after they slumped to 87 for 4 in nine overs. Then David showed up with a barrage of boundaries—11 sixes and 6 fours to be exact. He didn’t just scrape past the mark; he obliterated Josh Inglis’ previous Aussie record of a 43-ball ton. The crowd barely had time to breathe between shots, especially when he raced to a half-century in only 16 deliveries, breaking the old mark previously held by Marcus Stoinis and Travis Head.
The big moment arrived during a ruthless assault on the West Indian spinners. David launched four consecutive sixes off Gudakesh Motie, with barely a misstep—though he did get a life at 90, dropped by the outfielders. His power-hitting sent the dugout into a frenzy and left the West Indies shell-shocked. The win was sealed with a clinical boundary, with Australia still having 23 balls to spare.
The Bat, the Partnership, and the Streak
It’s not every day you see a player smash records using a rival’s gear. After the dust settled, David revealed the backstory. “I’ve been carrying Russell’s bat for a year and thought it was finally time to take it out for a spin,” he smiled. Russell, who officially retired from international T20s after the previous match, unknowingly lent his finishing touch to Australia’s win.
But David didn’t do it all alone. His stand with new partner Mitchell Owen (36 not out from just 16 balls) was vital. When Australia looked shaky at the halfway mark, it was this dynamic duo that tilted the game, pounding the West Indian attack and turning a wobbly chase into a cakewalk. Three overs of pure carnage saw spinners dispatched into the stands and the target shrink rapidly.
- 102* (37 balls): Tim David set a new record for fastest T20I hundred by an Australian.
- 16 balls: Fastest 50 in Australian T20I history.
- Partnership: 93-run stand with Mitchell Owen.
- Bat: Borrowed from West Indies legend Andre Russell.
The win means Australia has now clinched 10 victories in their last 11 T20Is. The West Indies, meanwhile, are struggling with form, losing their ninth out of the last ten games. David says he’s worked hard on power hitting but now wants to focus more on shot selection. As for the Russell bat—expect it to get a permanent place in his collection. After all, how often do you smash a national record with a legend’s borrowed blade?