Fastest fifty in T20 cricket: Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee holds record ahead of India's Yuvraj Singh 

Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee holds the record for the fastest fifty in T20 cricket, courtesy his astonishing nine-ball half-century scored vs Mongolia at the Asian Games 2023 in a group stage match. The knock is also the fastest 50 in T20 Internationals (T20Is).

Dipendra Singh Airee scored an unbeaten 52 off just 10 balls in the match played at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field in Hangzhou, Republic of China. The record knock featured an astonishing eight sixes. It also included six successive sixes, of which five came in the penultimate over.

Before the Nepalese batter, former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh held the record for the fastest 50 in T20 cricket for almost 16 years. Considered one of the most iconic batting performances in modern cricket, Yuvraj's memorable knock came gainst England at Durban in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. It still stands as the fastest 50 at the T20 World Cup.

In the group stage match, Yuvraj Singh reached his half-century in just 12 balls. During his 58 off 16 balls, Yuvraj Singh hit three fours and seven sixes, six of which came in consecutive balls in a single Stuart Broad over. It was the first time any player hit six sixes in a single over in T20 cricket.

India went on to win the match and eventually the tournament beating Pakistan in a thriller.

Yuvraj Singh, however, is not the fastest Indian to score a fifty in T20. That honour goes to Ashutosh Sharma. Batting for the Railways team, Ashutosh Sharma took just 11 balls to score his fifty against Arunachal Pradesh in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match in October 2023. He was eventually dismissed for a 12-ball 53, that included a four and eight sixes. Railways scored 246/5, also helped by a Upendra Yadav ton, and went on to win the match by 127 runs.

Fastest fifty in T20

Yuvraj Singh’s record was matched twice before Dipendra Singh Airee broke it, albeit not in any high-profile international match.

West Indies’ Chris Gayle, playing for Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Big Bash League in 2016, hit a 12-ball 50 against Adelaide Strikers. Gayle ended with 56 off just 17 balls but his team lost the match.

Two years later, Afghanistan international Hazratullah Zazai also registered a 12-ball 50 in an Afghanistan Premier League match at Sharjah. Opening the batting for Kabul Zwanan, Zazai hit Balkh Legends spinner Abdullah Mazari for six sixes in an over to score 62 runs off just 17. The Zwanans, however, lost the match despite Zazai’s heroics.

Sahil Chauhan of Estonia also scored 50 off just 12 balls against Cyprus in 2024.

Four players, meanwhile, have scored T20 half centuries off 13 deliveries.

Former England opener Marcus Trescothick achieved the feat while playing for county team Somerset against Hampshire in 2010 and Austria’s Mirza Ahsan hit the mark in 2019 against Luxembourg to become the second-fastest half-centurion in T20 Internationals.

West Indian spinner Sunil Narine, interestingly, matched it while playing for Comilla Victorians against Chattogram Challengers in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2022.

Fastest fifty in IPL

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored the fastest 50 in IPL after he reached the milestone in just 13 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2023 edition. It eclipsed the previous record set by Kings XI Punjab's KL Rahul, when he smashed a 14-ball half century against Delhi Daredevils in 2018.

Yashasvi Jaiswal ended up scoring an unbeaten 98 in the innings of just 47 balls. His knock, that steered his team to victory, included 12 fours and 5 sixes.

"I always have it in my heart to go out and do well. That's how I think," Yashasvi Jaiswal said. "I just wanted to make the NRR higher and not thinking about hundred... Blessed to play with all the great players, IPL is a great platform for youngsters and play with greats."

New Zealand’s Colin Munro and Romania’s Ramesh Satheesan jointly hold the record for the third-quickest 50s in T20 international cricket. Munro scored his 14-ball half century against Sri Lanka in 2016 while Satheesan achieved his record against Serbia in 2021.

Fastest T20 fifty in women's cricket

New Zealand’s Sophie Devine holds the record for the fastest fifty in women’s T20 cricket, taking just 18 balls to reach her half-century against India in 2015.

India’s Smriti Mandhana equalled the mark during a Kia Super League match while playing for Western Storm against Loughborough Lightning in 2018. Australia's Phoebe Litchfield also reached her half century in the same number of deliveries against the West Indies in 2023.

Englishwoman Sophia Dunkley holds the record for the fastest 50 in the Women's Premier League (WPL). Playing for Gujarat Giants, Dunkley took just 18 balls to reach the milestone against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the inaugural season.