What is a century in cricket?
A century in cricket is when a batter scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. It is one of the most celebrated achievements in the sport.
Scoring a century takes skill, concentration and patience, especially in Test matches, where it may take several hours. When batters reach 100, they usually raise their bat to the crowd and teammates. A score of 50 to 99 is called a half-century, and 200 or more is a double century.
Sachin Tendulkar of India holds the record for the most international centuries, with 100 across Test and one-day cricket. Virat Kohli has the most centuries in one-day internationals. Getting out for zero, the opposite of a century, is called a duck.
Famous centuries
Australian Don Bradman, widely considered the greatest batter ever, scored 29 Test centuries in only 52 matches and finished with a Test batting average of 99.94. The highest individual Test score is 400 not out, made by Brian Lara of the West Indies against England in 2004.
Did You Know?
A batter who scores a century in both innings of the same Test match has achieved a rare feat sometimes called a twin century.