World No. 1 T20I batsman Abhishek Sharma created history on Saturday. He has become the first cricketer in the world to score half-centuries five times in less than 20 balls in IPL.
25-year-old left-handed batsman Abhishek scored a fifty while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 17th match of IPL 2026 against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
Fifty scored on 18 balls
Abhishek completed his half-century in 18 balls. Vijaykumar completed his half-century by hitting a six on the fourth ball of the fifth over of Hyderabad’s innings. In the last season of IPL, Abhishek has scored 50 runs once in 16 balls, once in 18 balls and twice in 19 balls.
Abhishek Sharma on top
After Abhishek, Nicholas Pooran’s name comes in the list of batsmen who have scored most half centuries in less than 20 balls in IPL. Puran has scored four half-centuries in less than 20 balls in IPL. Three batsmen Jake Fraser-McGurk, Travis Head and Vaibhav Suryavanshi have done this 3 times each.
- 5- Abhishek Sharma (Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad)
- 4 – Nicholas Pooran (Mumbai, Punjab, Hyderabad, Lucknow)
- 3 – Jack Fraser-McGurk (Delhi Capitals)
- 3 – Travis Head (RCB, Hyderabad)
- 3- Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)
This record is in the name of Yashasvi
The record of scoring the fastest half-century in IPL is in the name of Rajasthan Royals opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal hit a fifty in 13 balls in the IPL 2023 match played between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 11 May 2023.
KL Rahul, Pat Cummins and Romario Shepherd have scored half-centuries in 14 balls in IPL. Yusuf Pathan, Sunil Narayan, Nicholas Pooran, Jack Fraser-McGurk and Vaibhav Suryavanshi have scored fifties in 15 balls. Australia’s Jack Fraser-McGurk and India’s Suryavanshi are the only two players in the history of the Indian Premier League to score two half-centuries in 15 balls or less.