Top 10 fastest fifties in ODI cricket history

Top 10 fastest fifties in ODI cricket history: One Day cricket has seen its share of slam-bang action, but nothing matches a quickfire innings either at the beginning of the match or at the end of the innings. Here are the Top 10 fastest fifties in the history of ODI cricket match: 10. Brendon McCullum 18 balls vs. England Wellington, 2015 Brendon McCullum. (© Getty Images) The Kiwi skipper was in impeccable touch and form all throughout the ICC World Cup 2015. It was his striking opening batting that gave New Zealand the edge over all other teams and thus they made a flying entry into the finals. McCullum took just 18 balls to reach his fifty and is one of the fastest fifties in ODI cricket. He did not stop there, he went ahead and climbed to 77 in 25 balls; in that innings he amassed eight 4s and 7 sixes. His strike rate in this innings was 308, something also worth talking about. 9. Shahid Afridi 18 balls vs. Bangladesh Mirpur, 2014 Afridi smashed a 50 off just 18 deliveries. (Photo Source : AFP) Bangladesh made an imposing 326 batting first in this 2014 Asia cup encounter against Pakistan thanks to contributions from Anamul Haque (100) and fifties from Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque. Pakistan had their chase right on target with 103 from Ahmed Shehzad and 74 from Fawad Alam. But with the dismissals of both these batsmen, the onus of winning the match fell on Shahid Afridi and he responded in style. Afridi smashed a 50 off just 18 deliveries, scoring a total of 59 runs with 7 huge sixes. Pakistan won the match comfortably by 3 wickets in the end. 8. Aaron Finch 18 balls vs Sri Lanka Dambulla, 2016 Aaron Finch. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) Sri Lanka posted a target of 213 for Australia to chase in the 4th ODI of the 5-match series. Aaron Finch in reply scored 55 runs in 19 balls, registering his fifty in just 18 balls. He became the joint fastest Australian to reach the fifty alongside Glenn Maxwell and Simon Patrick O’Donnell. Glenn Maxwell registered his fastest fifty against India at M.Chinnaswamy stadium in 2013/14 and O’Donnell scored his fastest half-ton against Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in 1989/90. Australian opener Finch is the latest entrant in this list equalling the Australian record of scoring fifty in just 18 balls with the help of 8 fours & 3 sixes at a strikerate of 290. 7. Glen Maxwell 18 balls vs. India Bangalore, 2013 Maxwell unleashes himself on the Indian bowlers scoring 60 off just 23 balls. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The ODI series between India and Australia in 2013 was massive run fest due to flat pitches and small grounds. One such pitch in Bangalore produced a very exciting match. India batted first and scored a massive 383 thanks largely to a record double century from Rohit Sharma and last overs hitting by captain MS Dhoni who scored 62 runs from 38 balls. The Australian reply was in jeopardy until Maxwell unleashes himself on the Indian bowlers scoring 60 off just 23 balls and his 50 came off just 18 balls with 7 massive sixes. He scored the fastest 50 in ODIs for Australia. The Australians fell short by 57 runs despite a brilliant 116 from James Faulkner. 6. Shahid Afridi 18 balls vs. Netherlands SSC Colombo, ICC Champions trophy 2002 Shahid Afridi hit 18 balls fifty with 6 sixes and 4 fours. (Photo Source: AFP) Shahid Afridi is a name that you will find on every fastest innings list not only in One Day cricket but Tests and T20s as well. Pakistan met Netherlands in an ICC champions trophy match in 2002. Netherlands were bowled out for 136 and when the Pakistani chase began, Imran Nazir and Saeed Anwar started destroying the Dutch attack. Shahid Afridi came in after the fall of Imran Nazir and finished off the match in a hurry scoring 55 unbeaten form just 18 balls with 6 sixes and 4 fours. Pakistan won by 9 wickets. 5. Shahid Afridi 18 balls vs. Sri Lanka Nairobi, 1997 His knock consisted of a then record 11 sixes and 6 fours. (Photo Source: AFP) This is the most famous match of Shahid Afridi’s career. This is also the 2nd match of his ODI career and the first time he batted in a One Day match. Afridi made sure that everyone would remember him by scoring the fastest century in this match against Sri Lanka off just 37 deliveries. His knock consisted of a then record 11 sixes and 6 fours. In the process, he also crossed the fifty mark in just 18 deliveries, earning him the 3rd spot on our top 10 fastest 50 list. 4. Simon O’Donnell 18 balls vs. Sri Lanka Sharjah, Austral-Asia Cup 1990 The match was the 2nd semi-final of the 1990 Austral-Asia cup held in Sharjah. Australia batted first against Sri Lanka and scored a huge 332 runs thanks to 117 by Dean Jones and a then record fastest 50 by Simon O’Donnell. O’Donnell was an all-rounder who bowled medium pace and was a hard-hitting batsman. Simon O’Donnell came in at number 4 and scored 74 runs off 29 balls with 6 sixes and 4 fours with his 50 coming off just 18 balls. This record stood for 7 years until our number 1 entrant broke it and he still holds the record. 3. Kusal Perera 17 balls vs. Pakistan, 2015 Kusal Perera. (Photo Source: AFP) The Sri Lankan opener came out with all his arrows hitting the target; they had a good looking 288 to chase up against Pakistan in the second ODI. Parera went for the kill upfront and placed Sri Lanka on a winning track with his 17 balls blistering 50. He continued from there and departed on the 40th ball with 68 to his name, with the aid of as many as 13 fours and 2 biggies. The strike rate he maintained was amazing at 272; the other significant importance of his knock was that it helped the Lankans get over Pakistan’s 288 with 2 wickets and 11 balls in hand. 2. Sanath Jayasuriya 17 balls vs. Pakistan, 1996 Jayasuriya scored 76 runs off just 28 deliveries with 5 sixes and 8 fours. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Sanath Jayasuriya had established himself as a dangerous batsman with his explosive exploits in the 1996 World cup prior to this tournament. This was the final of the Singer cup held in Singapore. Pakistan had batted first and scored 215 with the help of Ijaz Ahmad’s 51. Sri Lanka began their chase with Sanath Jayasuriya going ballistic on the Pakistani bowlers. Such was his impact that Sri Lanka’s first wicket fell with the score on 70 runs in form of Romesh Kaluwitharana and he was out for 0. Jayasuriya scored 76 runs off just 28 deliveries with 5 sixes and 8 fours. He broke the world record for the fastest 50 when he reached the milestone in just 17 balls. The record created by Sanath Jayasuriya still stands today even after 19 years, giving modern batsmen a chance at making themselves immortal. 1. AB de Villiers 16 balls vs. West Indies, 2015 De Villiers got to his 50 with the help of 5 sixes and 3 fours. (Photo Source: Gallo Images) AB de Villiers just broke the 20-year-old fastest 50 in ODI record during his epic 149 run innings. The previous record holder was Sanath Jayasuriya who scored his 50 in just 17 deliveries against Pakistan in the Singer cup tri-series final in 1996. De Villiers today just bettered the record by 1 ball during his century. De Villiers got to his 50 with the help of 5 sixes and 3 fours. He went on to break the record for the fastest hundred in ODIs by making his in just 31 balls and took South Africa to a massive 439 runs in 50 overs before getting out for 149 runs off just 44 deliveries with 16 sixes. (Also read Top 5 batsmen fastest to 5000 runs (by innings) in ODI) (All stats updated till 31st August, 2016)