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With just four weeks left to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, today’s countdown moment is the day Kevin O’Brien stunned the world and scored the fastest hundred in World Cup history.
The previous record was held by Matthew Hayden who had scored a 66-ball century against South Africa in the 2007 event, but O’Brien smashed that record, reaching 100 from just 50 balls.

Jeremy Bray had already scored a World Cup century for Ireland in their opening match in 2007, and Paul Stirling became Ireland’s third World Cup centurion barely two weeks after O’Brien’s innings (his hundred came up in 70 balls), but the speed and context of O’Brien’s innings has made it arguably the most memorable moment in Ireland’s history.

With England setting Ireland a daunting 328 to win victory seemed highly unlikely when at the half way stage Ireland were struggling on 113-5, with O’Brien new to the crease with only four runs to his name.

He made his intentions clear very quickly by smashing Graeme Swann for two sixes in the same over. The shots themselves were not so much the statement, but the calm and collected way O’Brien leaned against his bat, hand on hip, and almost ignored the shots.

The batting power-play, which Ireland had taken once O’Brien found his groove, saw him pass 50 as he added 45 of the 62 runs scored, bringing the required run rate down from almost 8.5 to a far more reasonable 7.

He reached 50 from just 30 balls, and only actually ran five of his runs, smashing seven 4’s and three 6’s. At that point a victory for Ireland still seemed unlikely, but O’Brien was not deterred and not only kept going, but started scoring even faster.

Andrew Strauss had a great opportunity to dismiss O’Brien when he was on 91, but the England captain juggled the ball before dropping it. After that drop O’Brien hit just a solitary boundary, and as he reached 100 from his 50th delivery there was a real sense of calm as the game suddenly seemed winnable.

Just three balls later Alex Cusack, who had been at the crease since O’Brien was in single figures, sacrificed himself after some confusion meant someone would be run out. The loss of another wicket made things incredibly nervy for Ireland and O’Brien responded appropriately.

With just over 50 more runs to get O’Brien knew he couldn’t afford to get out, and started to take actual runs rather than smash boundaries. He scored a run-a-ball 13 after the departure of Cusack, getting Ireland within touching distance of the victory.

Ultimately, O’Brien was run out himself looking to sneak a second run and keep the strike at the start of the 49th over. His departure for 113 in just 63 balls became one of the highlights of World Cup history and currently sits as the number 2 moment in the ICC’s Official World Cup Moments Countdown as voted for by global cricket fans.

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