Top 5 fastest fifties by Indian batters in T20Is ft. Hardik Pandya

Team India beat South Africa by 30 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the fifth and final T20I of the series on Friday, December 19. Sent into bat, the Men in Blue posted an imposing total of 231-5 on the board in their 20 overs. The Proteas came hard in the chase, but were held to 201-8. By virtue of their triumph in Ahmedabad, Team India clinched the T20I series 3-1 and also ended 2025 on a high.

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson got India off to a rollicking start with the willow, adding 63 in 5.4 overs. Abhishek Sharma smashed 34 off 21 balls, while Samson was dismissed for 37 off 22. Tilak Varma top-scored with a brilliant 73 off 42 balls, but it was Hardik Pandya who played the knock of the match, clobbering 63 off 25 deliveries.

Pandya reached his half-century off just 16 deliveries, one of the fastest by an Indian batter in T20Is. In this feature, we take a look at the top five fastest fifties by Indian batters in T20Is.

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#5 Suryakumar Yadav (18 balls) - vs South Africa in Guwahati (2022)

Suryakumar raced to his half-century off just 18 balls against South Africa in Guwahati in the second T20I of the three-match series. The right-handed batter ended up slamming 61 off just 22 deliveries. Suryakumar's 39-minute stay featured five fours and five sixes as India won the contest by 16 runs.

After getting his eye in, Suryakumar took on Kagiso Rabada in the 15th over, slamming him for two sixes and two fours - the first six was an audacious flick off the toes. The batter reached his half-century with a cut off a waist-high full toss (no ball) from Wayne Parnell for six. His stunning knock ended with a run out following a mix-up with Virat Kohli.

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#4 KL Rahul (18 balls) - vs Scotland in Dubai (2021)

Before Suryakumar, KL Rahul had also smashed an 18-ball half-century. He did the same against Scotland in Dubai in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Chasing a target of 86, India romped home in 6.3 overs as Rahul made 50 off 19, clobbering six fours and three sixes.

Rahul took on Brad Wheal in the second over and hit him for three fours. In the next over bowled by Alasdair Evans, he smacked a four and a six off consecutive deliveries. Rahul reached 49 by sweeping Mark Watt for a maximum over long leg. He reached his fifty with a single and was out very next ball, caught at long-on.

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#3 Abhishek Sharma (17 balls) - vs England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai (2025)

Team India's current T20I batting sensation Abhishek Sharma features at No. 3 on the illustrious list. The southpaw raced to a 17-ball fifty in the fifth T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in February this year. Abhishek went on to score a scintillating 135 off 54 balls, hitting seven fours and 13 sixes as the Men in Blue registered a massive 150-run win.

After England asked India to bat, Abhishek took on Jofra Archer in the third over and clubbed him for two sixes and a four. More boundaries followed in the next over bowled by Mark Wood, with a six carved over cover point. Abhishek raced to his half-century with back-to-back sixes off Jamie Overton in the fifth over. The carnage continued until Abhishek sliced one to sweeper cover off Adil Rashid.

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#2 Hardik Pandya (16 balls) - vs South Africa in Ahmedabad (2025)

Pandya bettered Abhishek's effort by one ball in India's last T20I of 2025. The seasoned all-rounder smacked a scintillating 63* off 25 balls, a knock that featured five fours and as many sixes. He added a whirlwind 105 for the fourth wicket with Varma and was dismissed in the last over of India's innings.

(Top 5 fastest fifties by Indian batters in T20Is)

Pandya charged down the pitch first ball and whacked Corbin Bosch for a six to long-off, hitting a cameraman in the process. He took a liking to George Linde in the next over and clubbed him for two sixes and two fours - one of the maximums was 97m long. The batter reached his half-century in style, launching Bosch for a six over deep midwicket. He was too good for the Proteas on the day.

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#1 Yuvraj Singh (12 balls) - vs England in Durban (2007)

The record for the fastest fifty for India in T20Is is still held by former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. He achieved the feat during his iconic knock against England in Durban in the 2007 T20 World Cup. The left-handed batter raced to fifty in just 12 balls before being dismissed for 58 off 16, with three fours and seven sixes.

India batted first in the game and posted 218-4. Yuvraj came into bat in the 17th over of the innings. He smacked consecutive fours off Andrew Flintoff in the 18th over and then took on Stuart Broad, famously hammering him for six fours in six balls. Yuvraj hit one more six off Flintoff before being caught off a full toss. Yuvraj was named Player of the Match as India won the game by 18 runs.

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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert