IPL 2022 | David Warner claims the record of most fifties in T20 cricket

Swashbuckling Australian opener David Warner added another feather to his crown during his blistering knock against former franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad as he leapfrogged Chris Gayle to claim the record for most fifties in T20 cricket.

Warner, a mean batting juggernaut in white-ball cricket, was at his absolute best against the Sunrisers. The southpaw smashed his 89th half-century in the shortest format of the game. No one has scored more.

Warner has batted 319 times in T20 cricket and has scored 10572 runs at an average of 37.89 and a strike rate of 141.22. He has racked up 97 fifty-plus scores so far, eight of which were converted into 100s.

Before Warner, the record was held by ‘Universe Boss’ - Chris Gayle, who hammered 88 fifties (and 22 tons) in 455 innings.

Third on the list is Virat Kohli. The legendary Kohli has 77 fifties (and 5 hundreds) against his name in 329 innings.

The Australian southpaw has been a constant run-scoring machine in the IPL since making his debut for Delhi back in 2009.

In 157 games, the 2016 IPL-winning skipper has scored 5713 runs @ 41.70/140.65 with 57 fifty-plus scores. Warner scored 400+ runs in 7 consecutive seasons between 2013-20, including five editions where he scored more than 550.

The 34-year-old had a rare lean season last year, where he managed just 195 runs in 8 innings @ 24.37/107.73 and was stripped of leadership duties and was dropped from the playing XI twice.

Warner was eventually released ahead of the mega-auction, where the Delhi Capitals claimed his services.

This year, Warner has returned with a vengeance. He has scored 342 runs in 8 innings @ 57/156.16 with four fifty-plus scores, and he seemed to have saved his best against his former team.

On Thursday (May 5) night, the left-handed opener was at his imperious best as he thumped the SRH attack to all corners.

The DC opener sacrificed on another well-deserved IPL three-figure-mark as he stood on the non-striker’s end - throughout the last over - and watched Rovman Powell tonk Umran Malik. In the end, Warner remained unbeaten on 92 after facing 58 deliveries.