Ashleigh Gardner entered her name in the history books on Wednesday (October 22) by equalling Glenn Maxwell’s world record of scoring the most centuries in the ODI World Cup (men’s and women’s combined)
by a No. 6 or lower batter. The 28-year-old cricketer from Sydney came out to bat at No. 6 for Australia in the 245-run chase on Wednesday (October 22) against England in Indore and remained unbeaten on 104 runs. She faced 73 balls during her stay at the crease and scored 16 fours in addition to adding an unbeaten 180 runs for the fifth wicket with Player Of The Match Annabel Sutherland (98 not out from 112 balls).
Maxwell, who has now retired from ODIs, has also scored a couple of centuries in the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup after coming out to bat at No. 6.
Most ODI centuries as a No. 6 or lower batter in World Cup (men’s & women’s)
| PLAYER | TEAM | 100s | EDITION |
| Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 2 | 2023 |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | 2 | 2025 |
| Carlos Brathwaite | West Indies | 1 | 2019 |
| Jos Buttler | England | 1 | 2019 |
| JP Duminy | South Africa | 1 | 2015 |
| Kapil Dev | India | 1 | 1983 |
| Mahmudullah | Bangladesh | 1 | 2023 |
| David Miller | South Africa | 1 | 2023 |
| Kevin O’Brien | Ireland | 1 | 2011 |
| Shaiman Anwar | UAE | 1 | 2015 |
| Lendl Simmons | West Indies | 1 | 2015 |
| Andrew Symonds | Australia | 1 | 2003 |
He scored 106 runs from just 44 balls against the Netherlands in Delhi on October 25, 2023, and then remained unbeaten on 201 runs from 128 balls against Afghanistan in Mumbai on November 7, 2023.
Gardner, on the other hand, scored 115 runs from 83 balls as a No. 6 batter against New Zealand in Indore on October 1, 2025, and completed her century in 69 balls as a No. 6 batter against England on October 22.
She is the first and only cricketer to score three centuries in women’s ODIs as a No. 6 or lower batter. No other player in the world apart from her has managed to score a century after walking out to bat at No. 6 or lower in Women’s ODI World Cup.
The overall record of scoring the most centuries in ODIs as a No. 6 or lower batter is in the name of England’s Jos Buttler (5), and the former English captain is followed by David Miller of South Africa, who has 4 centuries to his credit. India’s MS Dhoni and Maxwell finished their ODI careers with three centuries each as a No. 6 or lower batter.
Most ODI centuries as a No. 6 or lower batter
| PLAYER | TEAM | 100s |
| Jos Buttler | England | 5 |
| David Miller | South Africa | 4 |
| MS Dhoni | India | 3 |
| Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 3 |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | 3 |
The century by Gardner in 69 balls on Wednesday also helped her break the record of the fastest century in the Women’s ODI World Cup match. Before Gardner, the record was held by Deandra Dottin.
Fastest centuries in Women’s ODI World Cup
| PLAYER | TEAM | BALLS | AGAINST | VENUE | YEAR |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | 69 | England | Indore | 2025 |
| Deandra Dottin | West Indies | 71 | Pakistan | Leicester | 2017 |
| Alyssa Healy | Australia | 73 | Bangladesh | Visakhapatnam | 2025 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | England | 76 | Pakistan | Leicester | 2017 |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | 77 | New Zealand | Indore | 2025 |
In the 2017 ODI World Cup match between West Indies and Pakistan, Dottin completed her century in just 71 balls.
