The Asia Cup is a multi-national tournament that features top teams from Asia competing to become the best team in this region. This started in 1984 and is played once every two years. Over the years, many explosive batters have taken part in this tournament and set the stage on fire.
This article will feature the fastest half-century in the history of the ODI Asia Cup. Shahid Afridi holds the records for fastest 50 and 100 in the Asia Cup. Apart from him, there are some other superstars on this elite list of batters. So let’s check out the batters with some quick half-centuries in the ODI Asia Cup.
Fastest 50 in ODI Asia Cup
| Batters | Balls | Score | Vs | Venue | Date |
| Shahid Afridi | 18 | 59 (25) | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 04 Mar 2014 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 24 | 65 (32) | Sri Lanka | Lahore | 05 Sep 2023 |
| Virender Sehwag | 26 | 60 (36) | Sri Lanka | Karachi | 06 Jul 2008 |
| Virender Sehwag | 27 | 78 (44) | Hong Kong | Karachi | 25 Jun 2008 |
| Moin Khan | 30 | 56* (31) | Sri Lanka | Dhaka | 07 Jun 2000 |
| Tilakratne Dilshan | 30 | 71 (51) | Bangladesh | Dambulla | 18 Jun 2010 |
| Rashid Khan | 31 | 57* (32) | Bangladesh | Abu Dhabi | 20 Sep 2018 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 32 | 72 (47) | Bangladesh | Lahore | 25 Jun 2008 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | 32 | 51* (33) | Pakistan | Mirpur | 04 Mar 2014 |
| Younis Khan | 33 | 52 (34) | India | Mirpur | 18 Mar 2012 |
5. Moin Khan (30 balls) vs Sri Lanka in 2000
Moin Khan recorded the previous fastest fifty in Asia Cup history. He smashed a 30-ball 50 against Sri Lanka in 2000 edition in Dhaka in the final. Pakistan made 277/4 and dismissed Sri Lanka for 238 to win their maiden Asia Cup title. Moin was the captain and scored 56 not out from 31 balls with three fours and four sixes.
4. Virender Sehwag (27 balls) vs Hong Kong in 2008
Virender Sehwag was an aggressive opener, irrespective of the cricket format. He smashed the fourth-fastest Asia Cup fifty off 27 balls. He did it against Hong Kong in Karachi in the 2008 edition. India made the second-highest Asia Cup total of 374/4, and Sehwag smashed 78 off 44, with 13 fours and two sixes. Hong Kong managed 118 runs and lost by 256 runs, which is the highest win margin in the Asia Cup.
3. Virender Sehwag (26 balls) vs Sri Lanka in 2008
After scoring a 27-ball fifty in the 2008 edition against Hong Kong, Sehwag smashed the third-fastest fifty off just 26 balls. This came against Sri Lanka, when he scored 60 off 36 balls, including 12 fours, but in a losing cause. This was the final of the tournament in Kandy, and Ajantha Mendis registered 6/13, and Sri Lanka won the final.
2. Mohammad Nabi (24 balls) vs Sri Lanka in 2023
The second-fastest fifty came recently in a game between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in Lahore during the Asia Cup 2023. Sri Lanka made 291/8 in the first innings, and Afghanistan needed to chase the target in 37.1 overs to qualify for the Super Four. Mohammad Nabi smashed a 34-ball fifty, which is also the fastest for his country. He made 65 off 32, with six fours and five sixes. But when he got out, the chase went out of hand. Afganistan ended up two runs short at 289 all out and lost the game.
1. Shahid Afridi (18 balls) vs Bangladesh in 2014
When it comes to hitting, not many can match what Shahid Afridi did in his career. He holds this record. He smashed an 18-ball fifty against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2014 in Mirpur. Chasing 327, Afridi smashed 59 off 25 with two fours and seven sixes, and Pakistan made 329/7 in 49.5 overs to win the game.