In mens one day international cricket, who holds the record for scoring the fastest century in terms of balls faced?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of modern cricket records in the one day international format. With the rise of power hitting, several batsmen have scored extremely fast centuries in ODIs. Keeping track of who currently holds the record for the fastest hundred by balls faced is a common topic in sports quizzes and competitive exams. The names in the options all belong to famous hard hitters, so you must know the exact record holder rather than guessing based on reputation alone.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The format is mens one day international cricket, not T20 or Test matches.
• The record mentioned is for the fastest century based on number of balls faced, not minutes or strike rate.
• The options list several big hitting batsmen known for very quick scoring.
• Only one of them holds the record for the fastest ODI hundred in terms of balls faced at the time this question was framed.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is to recall individual batting records. Shahid Afridi held the record for many years, Corey Anderson briefly broke it, and then AB de Villiers set a new standard. In January 2015, AB de Villiers scored a century off just 31 balls against the West Indies in an ODI, creating the record for the fastest ODI century by balls faced. Therefore, among the given options, AB de Villiers is the correct answer for this record in the relevant time frame of the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the question focuses on the fastest century by balls faced in mens ODI cricket.Step 2: Recall that Shahid Afridi set an early record, Corey Anderson later broke it, and finally AB de Villiers smashed a 31 ball hundred.Step 3: Identify AB de Villiers in the options as the player who holds this final and faster record.Step 4: Eliminate the other big hitters because they either held older records or never held this specific one.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you have watched highlights or read match reports, you may remember AB de Villiers scoring 149 off 44 balls in that famous match, with his hundred arriving in just 31 deliveries. This innings is widely discussed in cricket media and is often cited as one of the greatest ODI knocks. Corey Anderson had previously held the record with a 36 ball hundred, and Shahid Afridi had a 37 ball century before that. However, none of these are faster than AB de Villiers 31 ball effort, confirming him as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Chris Gayle has scored explosive innings and double centuries in World Cups, but he does not hold the record for the fastest ODI century by balls faced in this context.
• Rohit Sharma holds the record for the highest individual score in ODIs, but this is different from the fastest century record.
• Shahid Afridi set an early benchmark with a 37 ball hundred, but his record was later broken by Corey Anderson and then by AB de Villiers.
• Corey Anderson held the record briefly with a 36 ball hundred, but this too was surpassed by AB de Villiers 31 ball century.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to mix up different batting records, such as highest score, fastest fifty, or fastest century in T20 matches. Some candidates also remember Corey Anderson breaking Afridi's record but forget that AB de Villiers later pushed the bar even higher. Reading older articles or relying on outdated memory can lead to choosing the wrong player. It is important to connect the exact figure 31 balls with AB de Villiers to avoid confusion in such questions.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is AB de Villiers, who scored a 31 ball hundred in an ODI and holds the record for the fastest century in mens one day international cricket by balls faced in the context of this question.