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WI's Matthew Forde Beats AB De Villiers With Mind-Boggling 16-Ball Fifty Vs Ireland

Akshita Patel

Matthew Forde scripts history [Source: @Sports_Himanshu/X.com]Matthew Forde scripts history [Source: @Sports_Himanshu/X.com]

West Indies all-rounder Matthew Forde made history on Friday, May 23, 2025, by hitting one of the quickest fifties in the history of ODI cricket. Forde reached his half-century off 16 deliveries during the second ODI against Ireland in Dublin, equaling South Africa's AB de Villiers' record set in 2015.

To avenge the humiliating 124-run loss against Ireland in the first ODI, West Indies batted first in the 2nd ODI. Openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis failed to trouble the scoreboard. 

However, from 46/2, Keacy Carty rebuilt the inning with a swashbuckling century (102 off 109 balls). Moreover, Matthew Forde added the perfect finishing touch and scripted history in the process.

Matthew Forde Smashes Joint-Fastest Fifty In ODI Cricket

Coming in to bat at No. 8, the 23-year-old Matthew Forde went on a six-hitting spree. He scored 58 runs off only 19 balls before getting dismissed in the 47th over. 

His blistering knock contained 8 sixes and 2 fours, and 56 of his 58 runs were scored in boundaries. Not just that, his late innings lift gave West Indies a huge boost, as the team was able to reach a score of 352/8 in 50 overs.

Meanwhile, Forde reached the 50-run mark in just 16 balls, equalling the record for fastest fifty hit by any player in ODI cricket’s history. The record was previously set by South African legend AB de Villiers back in 2015.

Fastest fifties in ODIs

  • AB de Villiers - 16 balls in South Africa vs West Indies (2015)
  • Matthew Forde - 16 balls in West Indies vs Ireland (2025)
  • Sanath Jayasuriya - 17 balls in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan (1996)
  • Kusal Perera - 17 balls in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan (2015)
  • Martin Guptill - 17 balls in New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (2015)
  • Liam Livingstone - 17 balls in England vs Netherlands (2015)

Needless to say, Forde’s heroics gave the West Indies a strong chance to level the 3-match series after losing the first game by 124 runs.

West Indies Led By A Fresh Face

In a surprise move, Cricket West Indies (CWI) promoted Shai Hope as the new T20I captain in place of Rovman Powell. Hope now captains both white-ball teams, with CWI supporting his calm leadership approach. Powell, who guided the Windies to two T20 World Cup semifinals, departs with dignity, having left behind a solid legacy and a revitalised team.