Fastest Fifties In ODI Cricket

Arnav Chopra

Matthew Forde (Source: @windiescricket/X.com)Matthew Forde (Source: @windiescricket/X.com)

Scoring milestones in International cricket is something many dream of, however, few manage to achieve them. Whereas some achieve certain milestones and etch their names in the record books alongside several legends.

There have been many players who have batted extremely well, smashing boundaries to provide their side with a solid score on the board, consuming fewer deliveries. Therefore, in this article, we will look at the players who have scored the fastest 50s in ODI cricket.

3. Martin Guptill - 17 Balls

At joint number three on this list is New Zealand's Martin Guptill, who took just 17 balls for his half-century knock against Sri Lanka back in 2015 at Christchurch, as he smashed 93 runs consisting of eight sixes and nine boundaries. New Zealand won that particular game comfortably by 10 wickets, as they first bowled out Sri Lanka for just 117 and then chased down the total in just 8.2 overs, courtesy of Guptill's rapid-fire show. He consumed just 30 deliveries for his 93-run knock and remained unbeaten, batting at a strike rate of 310.

3. Kusal Perera - 17 Balls

Another number three on this list is Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera, who smashed a half-century in 17 deliveries, scoring 68 runs in total from 25 deliveries, with 13 boundaries and two sixes, batting at a strike rate of 272. He helped Sri Lanka chase down Pakistan's 287 back in 2015 in Pallekele with the home side chasing the score down in 48.1 overs with two wickets in hand.

3. Sanath Jayasuriya - 17 Balls

Finally, sharing the number three spot on this list is another Sri Lankan, Sanath Jayasuriya. The Sri Lankan opener achieved the half-century mark in 17 deliveries against Pakistan in Singapore in 1996, scoring 76 runs off 28 deliveries in the end, with eight boundaries and five maximums, at a strike rate of 271.42. He helped, but couldn't save, Sri Lanka from embarrassment, as they lost the game by 43 runs, failing to chase down 216 set by Pakistan after being bowled out for 172.

1. Matthew Forde - 16 Balls*

Joint number one on this list is a new entrant from the West Indies, Matthew Forde. The right-handed batter did a remarkable job against Ireland in the ongoing second ODI at Castle Avenue in Dublin, where he took just 16 deliveries for his half-century and scored 58 in total from 19 balls, helping West Indies score 352 on the board by the end of the 50 overs. Forde smashed two boundaries and eight maximums, batting at a strike rate of 305.26 as he went on a rampage against the Irish nation, helping his Caribbean team put up a giant total on the board.

 1. AB de Villiers - 16 Balls

And now, the record holder at the top, sharing the number one spot with Matthew Forde, is South African legend AB de Villiers, who was magnificent against West Indies back in 2015 in Johannesburg, where he smashed the half-century in 16 deliveries and went on to score 149 against the Caribbean side. His 149 came off just 44 deliveries with nine boundaries and 16 maximums, at a strike rate of 338.63 as South Africa posted a mammoth 439 on the board for the loss of two wickets.

Hashim Amla scored 153*, and Riley Rossouw's 128 were another massive scores on the board where West Indies could only manage 291 after the end of the 50 overs, as they lost the game by a significant 148. This was one of the biggest victories South Africa were ever a part of.