Abhishek Sharma Hits Second-Fastest 50 for India in T20Is, Surpasses KL Rahul

Abhishek Sharma smashed a 17-ball 50 against England at Wankhede Stadium.

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma created history by smashing a 17-ball half-century against England in the fifth T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With this, he surpassed KL Rahul to register the second-fastest fifty for India in T20 internationals.

Blazing Knock at Wankhede

The fifth T20I is a dead rubber as India had already sealed the series with a 3-1 lead. However, Abhishek Sharma showed no mercy on England’s bowlers. He launched an all-out attack, taking on Jofra Archer first and then targeting their fastest pacer, Mark Wood. His fearless approach entertained the Mumbai crowd as he reached his fifty in just 17 balls.

With this innings, Abhishek now holds the record for the second-fastest T20I fifty by an Indian, just behind his mentor Yuvraj Singh, who smashed a 12-ball half-century against England in 2007.

Fastest T20I Fifties for India

  • 12 balls – Yuvraj Singh vs England, 2007
  • 17 balls – Abhishek Sharma vs England, 2025 (Today)
  • 18 balls – KL Rahul vs Scotland, 2021
  • 18 balls – Suryakumar Yadav vs South Africa, 2022

Abhishek Sharma is making a strong case to cement his place as India’s permanent T20I opener. With Rohit Sharma retiring from T20Is after the 2024 T20 World Cup, India is looking for a stable opening pair. If Abhishek continues to perform like this, he could be a long-term option at the top of the order.