Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh holds the record for the fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history. Yuvraj scored a 12-ball fifty against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup and hit Stuart Broad for 6 sixes in 6 balls in his innings of 58 runs off 16 balls in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
The T20 World Cup has produced some of the fastest fifties in cricket history. These explosive knocks in a high-pressure tournament like the T20 World Cup tell volumes about a player’s ability and mindset.
Fastest Fifty in T20 World Cup: 2007 to 2024
Let’s look at the list of the fastest fifty (half-century) in the T20 World Cup history.
| Rank | Player | Balls taken to score fifty run | Team | Against | Venue | Year |
| 1 | Yuvraj Singh | 12 | India | England | Durban | 2007 |
| 2 | Marcus Stoinis | 17 | Australia | Sri Lanka | Perth | 2022 |
| 3 | Stephan Myburgh | 17 | Netherlands | Ireland | Sylhet | 2014 |
| 4 | Glenn Maxwell | 18 | Australia | Pakistan | Mirpur | 2014 |
| 5 | KL Rahul | 18 | India | Scotland | Dubai | 2021 |
| 6 | Shoaib Malik | 18 | Pakistan | Scotland | Sharjah | 2021 |
| 7 | Rohit Sharma | 19 | India | Australia | Gros Islet | 2024 |
| 8 | Mohammad Ashraful | 20 | Bangladesh | West Indies | Johannesburg | 2007 |
| 9 | Yuvraj Singh | 20 | India | Australia | Durban | 2007 |
| 10 | Shadab Khan | 20 | Pakistan | South Africa | Sydney | 2022 |
| 11 | Litton Das | 21 | Bangladesh | India | Adelaide | 2022 |
| 12 | Elton Chigumbura | 21 | Zimbabwe | UAE | Sylhet | 2014 |
| 13 | Mahela Jayawardene | 21 | Sri Lanka | Kenya | Johannesburg | 2007 |
| 14 | Quinton de Kock | 21 | South Africa | England | Mumbai | 2016 |
| 15 | Aaron Jones | 22 | USA | Canada | Dallas | 2024 |
| 16 | Quinton de Kock | 22 | South Africa | England | Gros Islet | 2024 |
| 17 | Michael Hussey | 22 | Australia | Pakistan | St. Lucia | 2010 |
| 18 | Chris Gayle | 23 | West Indies | West Indies | Oval | 2009 |
| 19 | Aaron Redmond | 23 | New Zealand | Ireland | Nottingham | 2009 |
| 20 | George Bailey | 23 | Australia | West Indies | Colombo | 2012 |
Yuvraj Singh (India) – 12 balls vs England, 2007
Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball fifty against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup is the fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history. His six consecutive sixes in one over off Stuart Broad remains one of the most iconic moments in cricket. Yuvraj was unbeaten on 58, and India scored 218 runs in 20 overs. India won the match by 18 runs.
Marcus Stoinis (Australia) – 17 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2022
Chasing 158 runs for victory in their second Super 12 match against Sri Lanka, Australia were 89/3 in the 13th over. Marcus Stoinis came to the crease and scored 58 runs off just 18 balls ( 4 fours and 6 sixes), providing an early finish to the chase. Australia also improved their net run rate thanks to an early victory in this match.
Stephan Myburgh (Netherlands) – 17 balls vs Ireland, 2014
Chasing a target of 190 runs to win in 14.2 overs to qualify for the Super 10s of the 2014 T20 World Cup, Stephan Myburgh started in top gear and scored the joint-second fastest 50 in the T20 World Cup (50 runs off 17 balls). His 23-ball 63 included 7 sixes and 4 fours. The Netherlands won in 13.5 overs and stunned Ireland.
Glenn Maxwell (Australia) – 18 balls vs Pakistan, 2014
Glenn Maxwell, known for his explosive batting, hit a fifty off just 18 balls against Pakistan in the 2014 T20 World Cup, showing his power-hitting skills. When Maxwell came to the crease, Australia were 8 for 2, needing 192 to win. Maxwell was out after scoring 74 runs off 33 balls. Surprisingly, Australia lost the match by 16 runs.
KL Rahul (India) – 18 balls vs Scotland, 2021
KL Rahul holds the record of the joint-third highest fastest fifty in T20 World Cups. Chasing a modest target of just 85 runs against Scotland, KL Rahul scored 50 runs off 18 balls and helped the team reach the target in just 6.3 overs. Rahul’s innings included 6 fours and 3 sixes, and India won the match by 8 wickets.
Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) – 18 balls vs Scotland, 2021
Shoaib Malik becomes the second player to hit an 18-ball fifty in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Batting first, Pakistan scored 189 runs thanks to Babar Azam’s innings at the start and Shoaib Malik’s finishing skills. Malik hit 6 sixes and 1 four in his knock, and Pakistan won the match by 72 runs.
Rohit Sharma (India) – 19 balls vs Australia, 2024
Rohit Sharma holds the record of the seventh highest fastest fifty in T20 World Cups. Batting first against Australia, Rohit Sharma scored 50 runs off 19 balls and was dismissed for 92 off 41 balls. India score 205 runs and won by 24 runs.
Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh) – 20 balls vs Scotland, 2007
Bangladesh’s Mohammad Ashraful hit a 20-ball fifty in the 2007 T20 World Cup match against West Indies. Chasing 165 runs, Ashraful’s 109-run partnership with Aftab Ahmed took the team close to the target and eventually home with 6 wickets remaining. Ashraful hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 61-run knock.
Yuvraj Singh (India) – 20 balls vs Australia, 2007
Yuvraj Singh appears in the top 10 fastest fifty in the T20 World Cup for the second time. In the 2007 T20 World Cup semifinal, Yuvraj took on Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, and Nathan Bracken, hitting 50 in just 20 balls. He was dismissed for 70 runs off 30 balls. India scored 188 runs and won the match by 15 runs.
Shadab Khan (Pakistan) – 20 balls vs South Africa, 2022
Pakistan’s Shadab Khan scored a 20-ball fifty in the 2022 T20 World Cup match against South Africa. Batting first, Pakistan were 95/5 in 13 overs before Shabad came to the crease. In his 22-ball knock, he hit 3 fours and 4 sixes and took Pakistan to 185 runs. Shadab also took two wickets in the match. Pakistan won the game by 33 runs.
