Fastest half-centuries in T20: Know the domestic and international records
Pat Cummins smashed the fastest fifty in Indian T20 League 2022 against Mumbai. His 14-ball effort included four boundaries and five sixes. This made him the fastest half-centurion by an Australian in the history of the competition.
With Kolkata requiring 61 from 41 balls to chase down a target of 162, Cummins came in to bat at number seven and helped the two-time winners chase down the target with four overs to spare.
Pat Cummins' record innings saw him equal KL Rahul's record for the fastest fifty in the Indian T20 League. The current Lucknow captain's incredible 14-ball half-century against Delhi in 2018 helped Punjab chase down a target of 167 runs with seven deliveries to spare. He smashed six boundaries and four sixes in that fixture.
Fastest fifties in Indian T20 League
| Player (Team) | Opponent | Balls taken | Year |
| Pat Cummins (Kolkata) | Mumbai | 14 | 2022 |
| KL Rahul (Punjab) | Delhi | 14 | 2018 |
| Yusuf Pathan (Kolkata) | Hyderabad | 15 | 2014 |
| Sunil Narine (Kolkata) | Bangalore | 15 | 2017 |
| Suresh Raina (Chennai) | Punjab | 16 | 2014 |
India’s Yuvraj Singh holds the record for the fastest fifty in T20 cricket and he has the distinction of registering in an international match against England in 2007.
Playing against England in a group match at the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, Yuvraj Singh scored 58 runs in 16 balls - an innings where he smashed his famous six sixes in an over.
The southpaw brought up his fifty in just 12 balls, thus helping India set a mammoth target of 219 for England in 20 overs. England lost by 19 runs.
The second fastest fifty in T20Is came 12 years later when Austria's Mirza Ahsan slammed a 13-ball half-century in a 2019 Continental Cup match against Luxembourg. His knock was laced with two boundaries and seven maximums.
Fastest fifties in T20I cricket
| Player (Team) | Opponent | Balls taken | Year |
| Yuvraj Singh (India) | England | 12 | 2007 |
| Mirza Ahsan (Austria) | Luxembourg | 13 | 2019 |
| Kieron Pollard (Trinidad and Tobago) | Leeward Islands | 14 | 2012 |
| Colin Munro (New Zealand) | Hyderabad | 14 | 2016 |
| Ramesh Satheesan (Romania) | Serbia | 14 | 2021 |
While Chris Gayle hasn't managed to hit the fastest fifty in T20I cricket or in the Indian T20 League, the West Indian hard hitter has compensated for it by achieving the feat in Big Bash League.
Opening for the Melbourne Renegades in 2016, the towering southpaw had scored a half-century in 12 balls. Unfortunately, the Gayle storm came in a losing cause as the Renegades failed to chase down the 171 runs target set by Adelaide Strikers.
Fastest fifties in T20
| Player (Team) | Opponent | Balls taken | Year |
| Chris Gayle (Melbourne Renegades) | Adelaide Strikers | 12 | 2016 |
| Hazratullah Zazai (Kabul Zwanan) | Balkh Legends | 12 | 2018 |
| Marcus Trescothick (Somerset) | Hampshire | 13 | 2010 |
| Sunil Narine (Comilla Victorians) | Chattogram Challengers | 13 | 2022 |
| Imran Nazir (Sialkot) | Lahore Eagles | 14 | 2005 |
Featured Image: AFP/ Alexander Joe