Sunday night in Guwahati turned into a celebration of fearless batting as Abhishek Sharma delivered one of the fastest half-centuries ever seen in Indian T20I cricket. The world No. 1 T20I batter needed just 14 balls to reach his fifty during the third T20I against New Zealand at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, instantly grabbing headlines and thrilling fans across the country.
With this effort, Abhishek Sharma registered the second fastest T20I half-century by an Indian, falling just short of rewriting history. The record still belongs to Yuvraj Singh who famously smashed a 12-ball fifty against England during the 2007 T20 World Cup in Durban. Abhishek’s knock brought back memories of that iconic night and the comparison was impossible to ignore.
Yuvraj himself joined the conversation soon after the match. The former India star shared a light-hearted reaction on social media, playfully pointing out that his record still stands while also applauding Abhishek’s explosive approach and encouraging him to keep pushing boundaries. The post quickly went viral, adding another layer of excitement to Abhishek’s memorable evening.
Yuvi tweeted, “Still can’t get a 50 off 12 balls, can you? 🤪 Well played – keep going strong! @OfficialAbhi04”
https://x.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/2015464254967808415
While the Indian youngster missed Yuvraj Singh’s mark, the overall world record for the fastest T20I fifty remains with Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee who stunned the cricketing world by reaching the milestone in just nine balls against Mongolia during the Asian Games in Hangzhou on September 27, 2023.
Abhishek Sharma set the tone from the very first ball against New Zealand, launching Jacob Duffy for a six to open his account. He went on to remain unbeaten on 68 off just 20 deliveries, striking at an astonishing rate of 340. His innings included seven boundaries and five towering sixes, leaving the bowlers helpless.
Thanks to his breathtaking assault, India chased down a target of 154 runs in only 10 overs, sealing a dominant eight-wicket victory and underlining the depth of firepower in their T20 setup.
