Indian cricket has always had some explosive batters, especially in T20Is. Scoring a fifty in very few balls is always thrilling for fans. Recently, Hardik Pandya made headlines after returning from a hamstring injury during the Asia Cup. In the fifth T20I against South Africa at Ahmedabad, he smashed a fifty in just 16 balls. Let’s look at the top 5 fastest T20I fifties in Indian cricket.
Table of Contents
List of 5 Fastest T20I Fifties in Indian Cricket
5. Suryakumar Yadav vs South Africa, 2022 – 18 balls
In October 2022, India hosted South Africa for a three-match T20I series. During the second match in Guwahati, Suryakumar Yadav came to bat with India at 107/2 alongside Virat Kohli. He played an incredible innings and scored a fifty in just 18 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours in one over from Kagiso Rabada.
Suryakumar ended his innings with 61 runs from 22 balls, including five sixes and five fours. His aggressive knock helped India post 237/3, and India won the match by 16 runs. This innings is one of the memorable fastest T20I fifties in Indian cricket.
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 61 | 22 | 5 | 5 |
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4. KL Rahul vs Scotland, 2021 – 18 balls
During the T20 World Cup 2021 in UAE, India faced Scotland in the final group stage match. KL Rahul played a brilliant innings to boost India’s net run-rate.
He scored a fifty in 18 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes while chasing 86 runs. India comfortably chased the target in 6.3 overs, though they could not qualify for the next round. Rahul’s innings is remembered as one of the top fastest T20I fifties in Indian cricket.
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
| KL Rahul | 50 | 18 | 6 | 3 |
3. Abhishek Sharma vs England, 2025 – 17 balls
In the fifth T20I against England at Wankhede Stadium, Abhishek Sharma played a phenomenal innings. Coming in to bat early in the innings, he scored a fifty in just 17 balls, hitting five sixes and three fours in the fifth over alone.
Abhishek went on to score 135 off 54 balls, with 13 sixes and seven fours. India posted 247/9, and then bowled England out for just 97, winning by 150 runs. This innings ranks among the fastest T20I fifties in Indian cricket, showing his immense hitting power.
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
| Abhishek Sharma | 50 | 17 | 3 | 5 |
2. Hardik Pandya vs South Africa, 2025 – 16 balls
Returning to the Indian team with a 2-1 series lead, Hardik Pandya came to bat at 115/3 in the 12.2 over against South Africa. From the first ball, he hit a six, showing his intent.
Pandya scored 20 runs in 4 balls off George Linde’s final over and reached his fifty in just 16 balls. He added 105 runs for the 4th wicket, and India finished with a total of 231/5. His innings is among the most memorable fastest T20I fifties in Indian cricket.
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
| Hardik Pandya | 50 | 16 | 2 | 312.50 |
1. Yuvraj Singh vs England, 2007 – 12 balls
At the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, Yuvraj Singh played a historic innings against England in Durban. Coming to bat at 155/3, Yuvraj scored a fifty in just 12 balls, hitting six sixes in a single over off Stuart Broad.
India reached 216/4 and won the match by 18 runs. This innings remains unmatched for nearly two decades and is still the fastest T20I fifty in Indian cricket history. Yuvraj’s performance set the benchmark for explosive batting in T20Is and is the ultimate example of fastest T20I fifties in Indian cricket.
| Player | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
| Yuvraj Singh | 50 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
FAQs
1. Who holds the record for the fastest T20I fifty in Indian cricket?
Yuvraj Singh holds the record for the fastest T20I fifty in Indian cricket. He scored 50 runs in just 12 balls against England during the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
2. How many Indian players have scored a T20I fifty in under 20 balls?
Five Indian players have scored a fifty in under 20 balls in T20Is. They are Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav.
3. Which match featured Hardik Pandya’s fastest T20I fifty?
Hardik Pandya scored his fastest T20I fifty in just 16 balls during the fifth T20I against South Africa in Ahmedabad in 2025.
4. What makes these innings significant in Indian cricket history?
These innings are significant because they showcase the power-hitting abilities of Indian batters, help the team post massive totals or chase targets quickly, and set records that inspire future T20 players.