Former Indian all-round star Yuvraj Singh holds the record for scoring the fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history. Taking only 12 deliveries to get to his half-century against England in 2007, it is also the fastest half-century in international cricket and T20 Internationals.
The T20 World Cup, which is the biggest event in the world when it comes to T20 internationals has seen plenty of star-studded batting displays. Batters usually have the upper hand in T20 cricket and often exercise their dominance over the bowlers.
This has also been the case in T20 World Cups where several lightning-quick knocks have been recorded. These innings have allowed sides to post massive totals and find success over the course of the competition.
The most astonishing fact of all is that the fastest 50 in the entirety of international cricket arrived during the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007 which was held in South Africa. Back then, T20 cricket was still in its nascent stage and far from being the loved, recognised, and popular format of the game that it is today.
Who scored the fastest 50 in World Cup history and against which side? Find out all the details below as we discuss the top five fastest fifty in T20 World Cup history:
Fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history: Top 10 list
| Rank | Batsman | Team | Balls | Against | Year | Venue |
| 1 | Yuvraj Singh | India | 12 | England | 2007 | South Africa |
| 2 | Marcus Stoinis | Australia | 17 | Sri Lanka | 2022 | Australia |
| 3 | Stephan Myburgh | Netherlands | 17 | Ireland | 2014 | Bangladesh |
| 4 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 18 | Pakistan | 2014 | Bangladesh |
| 5 | KL Rahul | India | 18 | Scotland | 2021 | UAE |
| 6 | Shoaib Malik | Pakistan | 18 | Scotland | 2021 | UAE |
| 7 | Mohammad Ashraful | Bangladesh | 20 | West Indies | 2007 | South Africa |
| 8 | Yuvraj Singh | India | 20 | Australia | 2007 | South Africa |
| 9 | Shadab Khan | Pakistan | 20 | South Africa | 2022 | Australia |
| 10 | Litton Das | Bangladesh | 21 | India | 2022 | Australia |
Yuvraj Singh (India) – 12 balls vs England, 2007
Despite the numerous high-profile innings played in T20 cricket over the last 10 years, nobody has come close to matching Yuvraj Singh who holds the record for smacking the fastest 50 in the history of T20 World Cup as well as international cricket, when he took just 12 deliveries to get to his fifty against England.
Playing in the inaugural edition of the World T20 held in South Africa, India were up against England in a heated contest. Although Stuart Broad’s name will always be linked in infamy as the bowler to concede six sixes off one over, it was Andrew Flintoff who actually lit the flame after sledging Yuvraj in the previous over.
Yuvraj punished Flintoff by taking Broad to the cleaners and brought up 36 runs off his 19th over. With his final two sixes, bended-knee shot over midwicket, and a sweet strike over long-on to complete the set, Yuvraj became the first batsman in cricket history to score a half-century in just 12 deliveries. His record hasn’t been broken since then although it has been matched in T20s, albeit not in a contest as high-profile as a T20 World Cup match.
The left-handed all-rounder went on to remain unbeaten on 58 off just 16 balls as his famous knock included three fours and seven sixes. It was also the first time any player had hit six sixes in a single over in T20 cricket and at the expense of poor Stuart Broad.
India went on to win the match in a thrilling fashion and eventually became the inaugural world T20 champions and it was the year Yuvraj announced himself on the biggest of stages and played an innings to remember for a lifetime!
Also Read: Yuvraj Singh jersey number
Marcus Stoinis (Australia) – 17 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2021
The Australian power-hitter is next on the list for the fastest fifty in T20 World Cups. His knock came against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2021. It was a clinical display of hacking the daylights off a cricket ball as he took Australia to a NRR lifting half-century. Chasing 158, Australia found themselves on a tricky 89 for 3 when Stoinis walked into bat in the 13th over of the chase. He got going in no time, and soon upped the rate. Stoinis reserved special treatment for legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga hitting him for two sixes and a four before hammering Maheesh Theekshana for three sixes in the 16th over recording the fastest fifty for Australia in T20Is and the joint second fastest in a T20 World Cup. Stoinis finished on 59 off 18 balls with four fours and three sixes as Australia coasted home with 21 balls to spare.
Stephan Myburgh (Netherlands) – 17 balls vs Ireland, 2014
In the 2014 T20 World Cup match, Netherlands international Stephan Myburh shocked the world by playing a jaw-dropping knock that hardly anyone had expected. Batting first, opponents Ireland had set the Netherlands a target of 190 runs, which proved to be quite a formidable and daunting challenge. However, the South African-born Stephan Myburgh had other ideas.
He went on to score a fantastic half-century in just 17 deliveries and made 63 off 23 balls to power the run-chase for the Netherlands. His innings included seven sixes and four boundaries and four of those sixes came in Andy McBrine’s second over and another three were hit during the fourth over bowled by Alex Cusack. Netherlands went on to win the game with an incredible 37 balls to spare.
Glenn Maxwell (Australia) – 18 balls vs Pakistan, 2014
Glenn Maxwell is no stranger to playing unbelievable innings that leave the jaws on the floor as the Australian all-rounder is one of the finest strikers of the cricket ball in recent memory. However, Maxwell ended up playing an unforgettable knock during the 2014 T20 World Cup encounter against Pakistan where Australia seemed to be struggling desperately at one point.
When Maxwell arrived at the crease, Australia were staring at a horrific score of just 8/2 while needing 192 to win. He started off by showcasing his power-hitting against the spin of Zulfiqar Babar and Mohammad Hafeez before a couple of deft deflections behind point off Umar Gul’s pace. The Big Show then notched up 2 sixes and 2 fours in an over from the hapless Bilawal Bhatti that went for 30 runs as he made his intentions clear that the run-chase was on.
He brought up his half-century in just 18 deliveries, the second fastest fifty in that edition of the T20 World Cup and went on to play a blinder of a knock. By the time he was dismissed by Shahid Afridi after scoring 74 runs off just 33 deliveries, the equation had been brought down to 66 from 50 balls for Australia. Unfortunately, despite Maxwell’s brilliance, the other batters couldn’t finish the job for their team.
KL Rahul (India) – 18 balls vs Scotland, 2021
By the time the Indian team got around to playing Scotland, their unfortunate fate had virtually been sealed. After losing both their group stage encounters against Pakistan and New Zealand, India were staring at early elimination from the T20 World Cup 2021 in UAE.
However, KL Rahul’s magnificent half-century against Scotland was one of the positives. The elegant right-handed batter set the stage on fire at the Dubai International Stadium as he smashed an 18-ball half-century in their eight-wicket victory over Scotland. He announced his intentions straight away and took on the Scotland bowling unit early on along with his opening partner Rohit Sharma. He smashed three sixes and six boundaries to bring up his half-century in just 18 balls before getting dismissed on the 19th delivery.
Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) – 18 balls vs Scotland, 2021
Veteran cricketer Shoaib Malik, who was soon to be 40 when he was playing the T20 World Cup in 2021 in UAE, stunned the world with his breathtaking half-century against Scotland. He equalled India’s KL Rahul’s record and also got an 18-ball 50 to join the list of Glenn Maxwell and KL Rahul as the joint third fastest half-centurions in T20 World Cup history.
Malik smashed 54 runs in 18 balls as Pakistan scored 189 in 20 overs. Thanks to Malik’s blitz, Pakistan scored 43 runs in the last two overs, including 26 in the final six balls bowled by Chris Greaves.
Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh) – 20 balls vs West Indies, 2007
The Bangladesh swashbuckler was quite the star when he started off. In the 2007 T20 World Cup, he lit up Johannesburg with a power-packed half-century. West Indies, who were sent into bat, posted a good score of 164 for 8 in their 20 overs. Bangladesh started well but lost two wickets in quick succession and slipped to 28 for 2 after four overs. Then came Ashraful and changed the complexion of the game within a few overs. He started with three successive fours against Daren Powell, racing away to 18 off 6 balls and there was no looking back.
Ravi Rampaul was taken for a four and six in the next over while Dwayne Bravo was deposited for 4, 4, 6 as Bangladesh reached 100 in ten overs. Ashraful reached his fifty with another six off Fidel Edwards. His 20-ball fifty at the time was the fastest in T20I cricket. Yuvraj Singh took over a few days later. While Ashraful fell for 61 off 27 balls, Bangladesh raced home in 18 overs.
Yuvraj Singh (India) – 20 balls vs Australia, 2007
The fifty in 12 balls against England wasn’t Yuvraj’s only contribution in the 2007 T20 World Cup. He had a lot in store and made his presence felt in a big way against Australia in the semi-final that year. As most people know Australia are the powerhouses of world cricket, and no one had given a young Indian team any chance to sneak a win in the second semi-final. But batting first, India posted a huge 188 for 5 in 20 overs. It did not seem that they would reach that total at one point. At the end of nine overs, India were tottering at 48 for 2 at a run rate of only 5.33. But Yuvraj upped the scoring in a matter of minutes. He smashed Brett Lee for a gigantic six over deep square leg and then smashed Andrew Symonds and Start Clark over the ropes.
Yuvraj reached his half-century off just 20 balls and finished on 70 off 30 balls, his innings consisting of five fours and five sixes. It was his effort that helped India post a solid score and as it turned out, India won the game and qualified for the final in the inaugural T20 World Cup.
Shadab Khan (Pakistan) – 20 balls vs South Africa, 2022
Shadab Khan is next on the list for the fastest fifty in T20 World Cups. He achieved the feat against South Africa in the 2022 edition of the World Cup in Sydney. It was a completely single-handed effort from Shadab. He came into bat when Pakistan’s score was 95 for 5 in 13 overs. The conditions were tough, but Shadab got going straight away. He smashed Tabraiz Shamsi for a four and six, and then got going against Anrich Nortje, South Africa’s fastest bowler to reach his fifty off just 20 balls. It remains the third-fastest fifty for Pakistan in T20 international cricket.
Shadab fell for 52 off 22 balls with his innings consisting of three fours and four sixes. It was Shadab’s innings that helped Pakistan recover and post a mammoth 185 for 9. The match was shortened by rain and South Africa were bowled out for a mere 108 in 14 overs to win the game by 33 runs (DLS method).
Litton Das (Bangladesh) – 21 balls vs India, 2022
Litton Das is an important player for Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2024. He already has a lot of records to his name and he added more to his name against India at the T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide. Batting first, India scored 184 for 6 in 20 overs. It seemed like the score would be enough but the rain came pelting down and reduced Bangladesh’s target to 151 in 16 overs.
Litton smashed Arshdep Singh for for three fours in an over and then hit a six and two fours against Bhveshwar Kumar. He reached his half-century inside the first six overs off 21 balls as Bangladesh raced to 60 for 0 after the power play. Litton was run out for 61 off 27 balls and after his dismissal, the Bangladesh innings lost momentum. They lost by just five runs, but Litton struck seven fours and three sixes to keep Bangladesh in the game.
FAQs
Have any other cricketers matched Yuvraj Singh’s record of a 12-ball half-century?
Yes, not only matched but beaten also. Dipendra Singh Airee smashed a fifty off just nine balls against Mongolia in the Asian games last year. Chris Gayle, playing for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League also matched Yuvraj’s feat after scoring a 12-ball half-century against Adelaide Strikers in 2016. Hazratullah Zazai has also done the same while playing for Kabul Zwanan against Balkh Legends.
Who scored the fastest 50 in the T20 World Cup 2021?
Indian and Pakistan batters KL Rahul and Shoaib Malik jointly hold the record of scoring the fastest 50 in the T20 World Cup in 2021.
Who holds the record for scoring the fastest fifty in One Day International cricket?
AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest 50 in ODI cricket taking just 16 balls to reach the landmark. It came in South Africa’s second match against the West Indies at Johannesburg in 2015.
Who scored the fastest fifty in t20 world cup 2022 ?
Australia’s Marcus Stoinis hit the fastest 50 in the 2022 T20 World Cup. He achieved the feat against Sri Lanka in a group game. Shadab Khan also walloped a fifty off 21 balls against South Africa.
