Century and fifty-run innings are lauded in ODI cricket for their impact and artistry. While centuries are often the focus, the quickest 50 runs in the fewest balls show explosive power, fearlessness, and game-changing momentum. Wild knocks can change matches, electrifying fans and deflating bowlers. We explore the quickest 50s in ODI history, their players, and why they matter in modern cricket in this blog. If you want to read these kinds of statistical blog posts, register on 96in site.
What is a Fastest 50 in ODI Cricket?
A “fastest 50” in ODI cricket is a batter who scores 50 runs in the fewest deliveries. This achievement needs skill, daring to take risks, a good eye, and the ability to dominate bowlers early. These innings are generally played under duress to boost scoring or chase down big targets.
Why Do Fastest 50s Matter?
Quick fifties can change the flow of an innings, placing pressure on the bowlers.
Psychological Edge: Bowlers and fielding captains reassess plans, making mistakes.
Entertainment Value: Fans adore watching limits and sixes fall quickly.
Match Impact: These innings often decide games.
AB de Villiers – 16 Balls (South Africa vs West Indies, 2015)
AB de Villiers, one of cricket’s most inventive and destructive batsmen, set the world record for fastest ODI fifty in 16 balls against the West Indies in Johannesburg in January 2015. De Villiers smashed 9 fours and 16 sixes in the 39th over to score 149 off 44 balls. He scored a fifty in 16 balls and a century in 31, revolutionizing ODI batting.
Matthew Forde – 16 Balls (West Indies vs Ireland, 2025)
A decade later, West Indies’ Matthew Forde reached his half-century in 16 balls against Ireland in Dublin, matching de Villiers’ record. Forde’s 58 off 19 balls, including 2 fours and 8 sixes, showed the progression of power-hitting even among lower-order batters. His blazing innings helped the West Indies to a daunting total and put him in the record books with de Villiers.
Top 10 Fastest 50s in ODI History
| Rank | Player | Country | Opposition | Runs | Balls for 50 | 6s | 4s | Venue | Date |
| 1 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | West Indies | 149 | 16 | 16 | 9 | Johannesburg | 18/01/2015 |
| 1 | Matthew Forde | West Indies | Ireland | 58 | 16 | 8 | 2 | Dublin | 23/05/2025 |
| 3 | 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 |
| 3 | Martin Guptill | New Zealand | Sri Lanka | 93 | 17 | 8 | 9 | Christchurch | 28/12/2015 |
| 3 | Liam Livingstone | England | Netherlands | 66* | 17 | 6 | 6 | Amstelveen | 17/06/2022 |
| 7 | Simon O’Donnell | Australia | Sri Lanka | 74 | 18 | 6 | 4 | Sharjah | 02/05/1990 |
| 8 | 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 |
| 8 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | India | 60 | 18 | 7 | 3 | Bangalore | 02/11/2013 |
Conclusion
The quickest 50s in ODI cricket reveal the progression of batting, the rise of courageous batsmen, and the excitement that makes the sport so exciting. These innings, from AB de Villiers’ record to Matthew Forde’s heroics, encourage spectators and players to believe in the impossible. More records will fall and new heroes will emerge as cricket evolves, keeping the fast fifties alive and thrilling.
The fastest ODI 50s are thrilling and unforgettable, whether you’re a numbers buff, cricket romantic, or boundary watcher. For more of these kinds of blogs, register on the 96in app.
