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Abhishek Sharma closes in on Yuvraj Singh with second-fastest T20I fifty
Abhishek Sharma smashed the second-fastest T20I fifty for India, reaching the milestone in 14 balls against New Zealand in Guwahati, also powering India's second-highest powerplay score.
5 min read Last Updated : Jan 25 2026 | 10:10 PM IST
Abhishek Sharma lit up Guwahati with a blistering knock on Sunday, carving his name into India’s T20 International record books with second fastest half-century by an Indian batter. The left-hander raced to his fifty in just 14 balls against New Zealand in the third T20 International of the five-match series.
Sharma’s assault, marked by clean hitting and fearless strokeplay, set the tone for India’s innings and contributed to one of their most dominant powerplay performances in the format. The knock also carried personal significance, coming from a player who has often spoken about the influence of Yuvraj Singh in shaping his white-ball game. India eventually won the match by 8 wickets, with 60 balls to spare.
Fastest fifty for India in T20 Internationals
Abhishek Sharma’s effort now stands as the second-fastest fifty by an Indian in T20 Internationals. Only Yuvraj Singh remains ahead of him on the list. Yuvraj’s iconic 12-ball half-century against England during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007, when he famously struck six sixes off Stuart Broad in an over, continues to be the benchmark for Indian batters. ''That's what my team wants from me and I just want to execute all the time. But obviously, it's not easy to do it every time, but I think it's all about mental as well and the atmosphere you get around your dressing room as well,'' Abhishek said after hitting fifty in just 14 balls. While talking about breaking his mentor Yuvraj Singh's record of fastest fifty, Abhishek gave an cheeky reply. "That's more than impossible for anyone (to break Yuvraj's fastest T20 fifty record), but still, you never know. Any batsman could do it because I think all the batters have been batting really well in this series as well and going forward, it's going to be fun," 25-year-old Sharma said.
Hardik Pandya occupies third place, having reached the milestone in 16 balls against South Africa in Ahmedabad in December 2025.
FASTEST FIFTY FOR INDIA IN T20I HISTORY
Player
Balls
Match
Venue
Date
Yuvraj Singh
12
India v England
Durban
19/09/07
Abhishek Sharma
14
India vs New Zealand
Guwahati
25-1-2026
Hardik Pandya
16
India v South Africa
Ahmedabad
19/12/25
Quickest 50 against a Full Member team (by balls)
12 balls Yuvraj Singh vs Eng Durban 2007
13 balls Jan Frylinck vs Zim Bulawayo 2025
14 balls Colin Munro vs SL Auckland 2016
14 balls Abhishek Sharma vs NZ Guwahati 2026 *
15 Quinton de Kock vs WI Centurin 2023
Powerplay dominance adds to India’s record books
Sharma’s explosive start also helped India post 94 for two in the powerplay, their second-highest powerplay total in T20 Internationals. Only the 95 for one against England at the Wankhede Stadium in 2025 stands higher.
The Guwahati effort is also India’s highest powerplay score against New Zealand, surpassing Australia’s 91 without loss against the same opponents in Auckland in 2018. The numbers underline how decisively India seized control in the opening six overs.
Highest Powerplay totals for India
95/1 vs Eng Wankhede 2025
94/2 vs NZ Guwahati 2026 *
82/2 vs Sco Dubai 2021
82/1 vs Ban Hyderabad 2024
78/2 vs SA Joburg 2018
Also, the highest Powerplay total against NZ surpassing Australia’s 91/0 in Auckland in 2018.
Fastest fifties in T20Is: overall list
In the broader T20I landscape, the fastest half-century record is held by Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee, who reached the mark in just nine balls against Mongolia in 2023. Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball effort remains second overall, while a cluster of players from associate and full-member nations have achieved the feat in 13 or 14 deliveries.
Abhishek Sharma’s 14-ball fifty places him among an elite global group, alongside established names such as Colin Munro and Quinton de Kock, as well as standout performers from emerging cricket nations.
 "Abhishek Sharma closes in on Yuvraj Singh with second-fastest T20I fifty")
