Fastest 50 (Half-Centuries) in ODI Cricket
The advent of T20 cricket has seen an evolution in ODI cricket. It hasn’t been the same anymore. Be it the approach or the style of play, limited over’s cricket has evolved a lot over the years. Player’s doesn’t fear taking on the bowlers right from the first over.
Scores between 250 and 300 aren’t considered safe totals. You see a lot of intent from the players now as the power-hitting has taken over the stylish orthodox textbook shots. However, there have been players who have always played the game in the same manner even before T20 cricket came into existence.
These players never feared taking on bowlers right from the word go and are known for their destructive batting. They have made a lot of records in the limited over’s cricket with their aggressive brand of cricket.
In this article, we look at five players with the fastest half-centuries in ODI cricket:
#5 Simon O’Donnell (18 Balls)
Australian cricketer, Simon O’Donnell made headlines in the second ODI between Australia and Sri Lanka in the Austral-Asia Cup in 1990 owing to his sensational knock of 74 runs off 29 balls.
Batting first, Mark Taylor and Geoff Marsh had given the side a decent start. Simon O’Donnell then arrived and produced carnage at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. He brought up his half-century in just 18 balls and went onto score 74 runs off 29 balls. Australia scored a mammoth 332-run total in the first innings. In reply, Sri Lanka was folded was just 218 runs, courtesy of an all-round bowling performance from the Australians.
#4 Martin Guptill (17 Balls)
The second ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in 2015 saw the latter getting bundled out for just 117 runs in the first innings, courtesy a terrific 4-over spell from Matt Henry. Martin Guptill and Tom Latham ensured that New Zealand won that game by 10 wickets. Guptill scored 93 runs off just 30 balls, while Latham amassed 17 runs off 20 balls. Guptill hit 9 fours and 8 sixes during his destructive knock. He brought up his half-century in just 17 balls.
#3 Kusal Perera (17 Balls)
Kusal Perera sits third in the list of fastest half-centuries in ODI cricket. He took just 17 balls to reach the feat. Batting first, Pakistan notched 287 runs in 50 overs in the second ODI in 2015. Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan gave a superb start to Sri Lanka while chasing the total.
Kusal Perera scored 68 runs off just 25 balls, before becoming Pakistan’s first wicket. Sri Lanka chased down that total in just 48.1 overs.
#2 Sanath Jayasuriya (17 Balls)
Sanath Jayasuriya has hit the second-fastest half-century in world cricket. Against Pakistan in 1996, Jayasuriya took just 17 balls to reach his half-century. In pursuit of a 215-run total set by Pakistan in the final of Super Cup, Sanath Jayasuriya gave a blistering start to the team, having scored 76 runs off just 28 balls.
However, once he got out, wickets kept falling at short intervals and Sri Lanka could manage 172 runs in the second, thereby falling short of 43 runs in the end.
#1 AB de Villiers (16 Balls)
He is popularly known as the Mr. 360 degree Cricketer. South Africa’s batsman, AB de Villiers holds the record for scoring the fastest half-century in ODI cricket. AB de Villiers has hit many outstanding knocks in his career. However, there hasn’t been any inning better than the one played against West Indies in the second ODI in 2015.
After Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw gave a great start to the team, AB de Villiers lit the stadium with some mouth-watering shots. He brought up his half-century in just 16 balls. De Villiers went on score 149 runs off just 44 balls at a strike rate of 338.63.
