Liam Livingstone smashes England's fastest T20I hundred

The Lancashire batsman brought up the landmark in just 42 balls – six quicker than the previous men’s record: Dawid Malan against New Zealand in 2019

Liam Livingstone struck the fastest century by an England cricketer in T20Is as he launched an extraordinary onslaught on Pakistan’s bowlers at Trent Bridge.

The Lancashire batsman brought up the landmark in just 42 balls – six quicker than Dawid Malan’s hundred against New Zealand in 2019 – but still ended up on the losing side after Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan had led Pakistan to 232 for 6 from their 20 overs.

When Livingstone raised his bat, he had hit nine sixes and six fours, including a huge strike off Haris Rauf over square leg and consecutive strikes off Shadab Khan. He fell to the very next ball after reaching his hundred as he attempted a similar stroke against Shadab to the blow that took him to the landmark, only to be caught at long-on.

Earlier, he had brought up his fifty off just 17 balls, just a week after Nat Sciver hit England Women's fastest-ever T20I half century against India at Northampton. Tammy Beaumont held the record previously for the fastest T20I hundred by an England player, using just 47 balls against South Africa in 2018.

Livingstone had been at the crease for just 4.1 overs when he brought up his fifty and just 12 overs when he went to three figures.

The record for the fastest T20I fifty by any player still belongs to India’s Yuvraj Singh on the night that he hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in a single over. His half century came up in just 12 balls.

The record for the fastest T20I hundred is still shared by South Africa’s David Miller, India’s Rohit Sharma and Czech Republic batsman Sudesh Wickramasekara. Livingstone now sits joint-seventh on that list with Afghanistan opener Hazratullah Zazai, whose ton came against Ireland in 2019.

England’s previous T20I hundreds have been scored by Malan and Alex Hales; Hales’ knock came during the 2014 World T20 against Sri Lanka, comprising 60 deliveries. Malan’s came in Napier two winters ago, with Eoin Morrgan smashing 91 off 41 at the other end.