The brutal batting by Shahid Afridi of Pakistan against Bangladesh on March 4, 2014, once again brought some old memories to the fore. Afridi stroked 59 runs in just 25 balls that included just two fours, but as many as seven sixes.

However, the record still stands in the name of Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka. He had stroked his way to an international fifty in a matter of just 17 balls. Incidentally, the knock came against Pakistan at Singapore. Jayasuriya had hit five sixes and eight fours in this innings by the time he reached his half-century. This match was played on 7 April, 1996.

The latest knock by Afridi makes it four entries in the list of the fastest half-centuries in ODI matches that have come in 18 balls. Out of these four, Shahid Afridi himself has three to his name.

S.P.O’Donnell of Australia had also completed his half-century in 18 balls – one more than Sanath Jayasuriya. Played on 2 May, 1990 this herculean innings came against the island nation of Sri Lanka. S.P.O’Donnell, a little known name today in world cricket had hit four fours and six sixes.

After from his latest knock, against Bangladesh in Asia Cup, Afridi’s two other innings had come against Sri Lanka and Netherlands respectively. The first innings’ knock came on October 4, 1996 in Nairobi. The Pakistani fans got to see the second of these innings in Colombo on September 21, 2002.

It must be noted that none of the Indian batsmen hold the record or are in the top 10 in this list. There are batsmen from Sri Lanka and Pakistan – the two Asian countries. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are the other nations who figure in this list.

Apart from S.P.O’Donnell, the other Australian batsman is David Hussey. Hussy raced to his fifty in 19 balls with four fours and the same number of sixes. There are two South African batsmen Mark Boucher and Justin Kemp. Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor are the two Kiwi batsmen to register their names in the record books. They too reached the milestone in 19 balls each.

Article Posted By : abhi_bangal  On March 05, 2014lView All Articles

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http://www.veethi.com/articles/shahid-afridi-scores-second-fastest-odi-half-century-article-3003.htm

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Shahid Afridi half-century , Shahid Afridi fastest ODI half-century