The best sight for a cricket fan is when his favorite batsman hits the opposition bowlers all over the ground. The kind of fan base a batsman has is really huge. When we talk about some of the explosive batsmen, a few names come to mind, who can turn out to be a nightmare for any bowler in the world.
Speaking of the history of ODI cricket, there are many legendary batsmen that have played this format. But there will always be one who leads the chart. As we all know, Yuvraj Singh holds the record for hitting the fastest half-century in T20 cricket.
But do you know who has the record for the fastest ODI fifty? If not, let’s check out.
3. Kusal Perera (17 balls) against Pakistan in 2015
Sri Lankan cricket has always been blessed with some of the most destructive left-handed openers in the game of cricket. Kusal Perera is one such player in modern-day cricket. His batting style resembles that of the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya. Kusal is third on the list. In a match against Pakistan on July 15, 2015, batting first, Pakistan made 287/8 in their 50 overs. Azhar Ali (79), Shoaib Malik (51) and Mohammad Rizwan (52) were the top-scorers.
However, at the time of the chase, both Sri Lankan openers came out all guns blazing. Especially Kusal Perera, who smashed a 17-ball half-century and added 92 runs for the first wicket in just 8.1 overs. He got out after scoring 68 off 25 balls, including 13 fours and two maximums. Sri Lanka lost a few wickets in the middle but chased down the target with two wickets in hand. Kusal won the MOM award.
2. Sanath Jayasuriya (17 balls) against Pakistan in 1996
For almost two decades, Sanath Jayasuriya held the record for scoring the fastest half-century. In terms of batting, the former opener was a beast. He changed the dynamic of the games with his style of batting. It was the final match of the Singer Cup between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on April 7, 1996, in Singapore. Batting first, Pakistan were bowled out for 215 runs.
It was a decent total considering the strong bowling lineup Pakistan had and that was what happened. However, Jayasuriya gave Sri Lanka a thunderous start. He smashed a 17-ball half-century to break all records. The left-hander scored 76 off 28 balls, including eight fours and five sixes. But once he got out, none of the other batters could do much. As a result, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 172, handing Pakistan a win of 43 runs. Despite losing that match, Jayasuriya made his name in the record books.
1. AB de Villiers (16 balls) against West Indies in 2015
If a team needs a batsman to score quick runs in pressure situations and that too against some of the best bowlers, they can win the game, so without a doubt, one of the first names will be AB de Villiers. The former South African captain is one of the best hitters of the cricket ball. And there is now doubt that he is leading this chart. He smashed the fastest ODI half-century against West Indies on January 18, 2015.
Batting first, South Africa had a really good start. They added 247 runs for the first wicket in 38.3 overs. With only a little less than 12 overs to play, De Villiers joined the crease and then the real carnage started. He came like a storm and played a thunderous innings. He scored a 16-ball half-century and went on to score 149 runs off 44 balls, including nine fours and 16 sixes. De Villiers also missed the fastest 150 by just one run. South Africa made 439 and Hashim Amla (153*) and Rilee Rossouw (128) also scored a century each. The Proteas scored a mammoth 439 runs. In response, the West Indies could only manage 291/7 in 50 overs, losing the match. De Villiers scored the fastest half-century (16 balls) and century (31 balls) in the ODI cricket.
List of Fastest Fifty in ODI Cricket
| Name | Score | Balls | 6s | 4s | Against | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB de Villiers (South Africa) | 149 | 16 | 16 | 9 | West Indies | 18/01/2015 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) | 76 | 17 | 5 | 8 | Pakistan | 07/04/1996 |
| Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka) | 68 | 17 | 2 | 13 | Pakistan | 15/07/2015 |
| Martin Guptill (New Zealand) | 93 | 17 | 8 | 9 | Sri Lanka | 28/12/2015 |
| Liam Livingstone (England) | 66* | 17 | 6 | 6 | Netherlands | 17/06/2022 |
| Simon O’Donnell (Australia) | 74 | 18 | 6 | 4 | Sri Lanka | 02/05/1990 |
| Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) | 102 | 18 | 11 | 6 | Sri Lanka | 04/10/1996 |
| Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) | 55* | 18 | 6 | 4 | Netherlands | 21/09/2002 |
| Glenn Maxwell (Australia) | 60 | 18 | 7 | 3 | India | 02/11/2013 |
| Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) | 59 | 18 | 7 | 2 | Bangladesh | 04/03/2014 |