In the world of ODI cricket, memorable innings are aplenty, but some shine for their blistering speed. While centuries grab headlines, quick-fire half-centuries are equally pivotal.
Ab de Villiers, known for his innovative batting, scored a half-century off just 16 balls in 2015. This came against the West Indies in Johannesburg. The 16-ball 50 is the fastest half-century seen in ODI cricket.
No Indian cricketer is among the top 15 to have scored the fastest 50 in ODIs. But Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi finds himself three times on the list.
Top 15 List of Fastest 50 in ODI Cricket
| Rank | Player | Country | Opposition | Runs | Balls | 6s | 4s | Venue | Date |
| 1 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | West Indies | 149 | 16 | 16 | 9 | Johannesburg | 18/01/2015 |
| 2 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | 76 | 17 | 5 | 8 | Singapore | 07/04/1996 |
| 3 | Kusal Perera | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | 68 | 17 | 2 | 13 | Pallekele | 15/07/2015 |
| 4 | MJ Guptill | New Zealand | Sri Lanka | 93 | 17 | 8 | 9 | Christchurch | 28/12/2015 |
| 5 | Liam Livingstone | England | Netherlands | 66* | 17 | 6 | 6 | Amstelveen | 17/06/2022 |
| 6 | SP O’Donnell | Australia | Sri Lanka | 74 | 18 | 6 | 4 | Sharjah | 02/05/1990 |
| 7 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | 102 | 18 | 11 | 6 | Nairobi | 04/10/1996 |
| 8 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | Netherlands | 55* | 18 | 6 | 4 | Colombo | 21/09/2002 |
| 9 | GJ Maxwell | Australia | India | 60 | 18 | 7 | 3 | Bangalore | 02/11/2013 |
| 10 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | Bangladesh | 59 | 18 | 7 | 2 | Mirpur | 04/03/2014 |
| 11 | BB McCullum | New Zealand | Bangladesh | 80* | 18 | 6 | 9 | Queenstown | 31/12/2007 |
| 12 | AJ Finch | Australia | Sri Lanka | 55 | 18 | 3 | 8 | Dambulla | 31/08/2016 |
| 13 | MA Leask | Scotland | Papua New Guinea | 55 | 18 | 6 | 0 | Dubai (DSC) | 13/04/2022 |
| 14 | MV Boucher | South Africa | Kenya | 51 | 19 | 6 | 2 | Cape Town | 22/10/2001 |
| 15 | JM Kemp | South Africa | Zimbabwe | 53* | 19 | 5 | 2 | Durban | 27/02/2005 |
1.AB de Villiers – in 16 balls (South Africa vs. West Indies, Johannesburg, 2015)
A true maestro of modern cricket, AB de Villiers stunned the world with his breathtaking innings. His 149 off just 44 balls against the West Indies remains an epitome of power-hitting and timing, including 16 fours and 9 sixes.
De Villiers reached his half-century in just 16 balls, and his century in just 31 balls. What is really interesting about this knock is that de Villiers came in to bat in the 39th over, when only 11 overs and three balls were left. In that little space of time, he went on to score 149 runs.
Read More: Fastest Player to Reach 2000 Runs in ODI
2. Sanath Jayasuriya – 76 runs off 17 balls (Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan, Singapore, 1996)
Sanath Jayasuriya’s blitzkrieg innings set the tone for an interesting game. He scored a half-century in just 17 deliveries, which was the then fastest half-century in ODIs. Eventually he ended with 76 runs off 17 balls which featured 8 fours and 5 sixes.
However, following Jayasuriya’s departure, the Sri Lankan team succumbed without resistance as the Pakistani bowlers tore through their batting line-up, dismissing them for 172 runs in just 32.5 overs.
3. Kusal Perera – in 17 balls (Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan, Pallekele, 2015)
Kusal Perera’s whirlwind knock showed his ability to dismantle any bowling attack. His 68 off 25 balls left the opposition reeling and the spectators in awe, comprising 13 fours and 2 sixes. Perera reached his fifth ODI fifty in just 17 balls before being dismissed on 69. His contribution proved crucial as Sri Lanka successfully chased down the 288-run victory target with 11 balls to spare.
4. Martin Guptill – in 17 balls (New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka, Christchurch, 2015)
Martin Guptill’s demolition job against Sri Lanka was a masterclass in power-hitting. His 93 off 17 balls was laced with 9 fours and 8 sixes and took New Zealand to a crushing 10 wicket victory with 41.4 overs to spare, chasing only 117.
5. Liam Livingstone – in 17 balls (England vs. Netherlands, Amstelveen, 2022)
Liam Livingstone’s recent blitz against the Netherlands showed his raw talent. His unbeaten 66 off 17 balls was a sight to behold, featuring 6 fours and 6 sixes. Earlier, he brought up his half century in 17 balls. In this game, England set a new record for the highest ODI score, reaching 498 for 4 off 50 overs. This remarkable total stands as the highest across both men’s and women’s ODIs.
6. SP O’Donnell – in 18 balls (Australia vs. Sri Lanka, Sharjah, 1990)
Simon O’Donnell’s swashbuckling innings in Sharjah was one of the best innings of the 1990s. His 74 off 18 balls remains a cherished memory for cricket fans Down Under, with 6 fours and 6 sixes. O’Donnell was a part of the Australian team that won the 1987 Cricket World Cup. He played 87 ODIs between 1985 and 1992, scoring 1242 runs and picking up 108 wickets.
Suggested Read: Most Wickets in ODI: List of Top 10 Most Wicket Takers in ODI
7. Shahid Afridi – in 18 balls (Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka, Nairobi, 1996)
Shahid Afridi, the ‘Boom Boom’ of Pakistan cricket, unleashed his fury on Sri Lanka in Nairobi. His whirlwind half century off just 18 balls stunned the opposition and he eventually went on to score a 37-ball century, smashing six fours and 11 sixes. Pakistan amassed a total of 371/9 in 50 overs, led by Afridi and skipper Saeed Anwar’s impressive 115 off 120 deliveries. Afridi’s record remained unbroken for 18 years until New Zealand’s Corey Anderson shattered it with a blistering 36-ball century against West Indies in 2014.
8. Shahid Afridi – in 18 balls (Pakistan vs. Netherlands, Colombo, 2002)
Afridi’s penchant for explosive innings was on full display against the Netherlands. His unbeaten 55 off 18 balls was a testament to his ability to turn the game on its head, with 4 fours and 6 sixes. His explosive innings propelled Pakistan to a commanding nine-wicket victory in the Champions Trophy match.
9. Glenn Maxwell – in 18 balls (Australia vs. India, Bangalore, 2013)
Glenn Maxwell’s audacious stroke-play against India showcased his fearless approach to batting. His quickfire 60 included 3 fours and 7 sixes. He scored an 18-ball half-century. Especially notable was the 17th over of the match, bowled by Vinay Kumar, where Maxwell hammered an astonishing 23 runs.
Further Read: Players with Fastest 200 Runs in ODI Cricket
10. Shahid Afridi – 59 runs off 18 balls (Pakistan vs. Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2014)
Afridi’s penchant for big hitting was on display once again as he decimated Bangladesh’s bowling attack. His 59 off 25 balls, laced with 4 fours and 7 sixes, propelled Pakistan to the final of the Asia Cup. He reached his half century in only 18 balls.Â
11. Brendon McCullum
This was the World Cup match between England and New Zealand and Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum made a statement as he took down England’s bowlers, reaching the fastest half century in ODI World Cup fifty, from 18 balls.
Such was his assault that New Zealand raced to 96 runs after the first six overs.Â
12. Aaron Finch
Australian opener Aaron Finch smashed his 50 in 18 balls which was then the joint-fastest by an Australia batsman in ODIs.
Simon O’Donnell got to this landmark in similar number of deliveries against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 1990 and then, Glenn Maxwell raced to 50 off 18 deliveries against India in Bangalore in 2013-14.Â
13. Michael Leask
This was an incredible knock played by 31-year-old Scottish batsman Michael Leask who walked out to bat at number 7 and went on to smash an unbeaten fifty in just 18 balls.
His explosive knock featured six towering sixes. It was the fastest half-century in ODI by a batsman from an ICC associate nation, cementing his place in cricketing history.
14. Mark Boucher
Gary Kirsten and Neil McKenzie punished Kenya on a flat batting track as South Africa raced to 248 in the 42nd over.
However, Mark Boucher then walked in and made the total near impossible for Kenya to breach as he smashed a 50 in just 19 balls in an innings that included 4 sixes.
15. Justin Kemp
Graeme Smith continued his awesome form as he notched up his third ton in 24 dats. Justin Kemp then waltzed in and put the cherry on the cake with a commanding half century off 19 balls.
This efforted powered South Africa to an imposing total of 329 for 6 after being sent in to bat at Durban against Zimbabwe.
FAQs about Fastest Fifty in ODI
Q) Who has scored the fastest 50 in ODI?
A) The fastest 50 in ODI cricket is credited to South African cricketer AB de Villiers. He achieved this remarkable feat during a match against the West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015. De Villiers’ blistering innings saw him reach his half-century milestone in just 16 balls.
Q) In how many balls did Glenn Maxwell score his fastest ODI fifty?
A) Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell displayed his explosive batting during a match against India in Bangalore in 2013. Maxwell’s fastest ODI fifty came off just 18 balls.
Q) Who holds the record for the fastest half-century in ODI World Cup history?
A)Brendon McCullum reached a 50 in just 18 balls against England during the ODI World Cup.
Q) Which Australian players have scored an ODI half-century in 18 balls?
A) Aaron Finch, Simon O’Donnell, and Glenn Maxwell have all reached 50 in 18 deliveries.
Q) Who scored the fastest ODI half-century by a player from an ICC associate nation?
A) Michael Leask of Scotland achieved the milestone in 18 balls, the fastest for an ICC associate team.
Q) How fast did Mark Boucher score his quickest ODI fifty?
A) Mark Boucher scored a half-century in 19 balls against Kenya.
Q) What is Justin Kemp’s fastest ODI half-century record?
A) Justin Kemp reached a fifty in 19 balls during a match against Zimbabwe in Durban.
