/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-177614922743437658.webp)
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-17761492221213097.webp)
World No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma entered his name in the history books on Saturday, April 11, by becoming the first cricketer in the world to score five IPL fifties in less than 20 balls. The 25-year-old left-handed batter from Amritsar is playing as an opener for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, and needed just 18 balls to reach the 50-run mark. He completed his half-century by hitting Vijaykumar Vyshak for a six on the fourth ball of the fifth over of SRH’s innings.
In the previous editions of IPL, Abhishek has reached the 50-run mark once in 16 balls, once in 18 balls and twice in 19 balls.
Fastest 50s in IPL by Abhishek
Sharma
| FOR (TEAM) | BALLS | AGAINST | VENUE | DATE |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 16 | Mumbai Indians | Hyderabad | March 27, 2024 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 18 | Lucknow Super Giants | Lucknow | May 19, 2025 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 18 | Punjab Kings | New Chandigarh | April 11, 2026 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 19 | Lucknow Super Giants | Hyderabad | May 8, 2024 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 19 | Punjab Kings | Hyderabad | April 12, 2024 |
In the list of batters with the most IPL fifties in less than 20 balls, Abhishek is followed by Nicholas Pooran. Pooran has slammed four IPL fifties in less than 20 balls. A total of three batters – Jake Fraser-McGurk, Travis Head and Vaibhav Sooryvanshi – have three sub-20 50s in the IPL to their credit.
Most sub-20 ball 50s in IPL
- 5- Abhishek Sharma (Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad)
- 4 – Nicholas Pooran (MI, PBKS, SRH, LSG)
- 3 – Jake Fraser-McGurk (Delhi Capitals)
- 3 – Travis Head (RCB, SRH)
- 3 – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)
The record for scoring the fastest 50 in the IPL is held by Rajasthan Royals opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal. In the IPL 2023 match played between RR and Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on May 11, Jaiswal needed just 13 balls to reach the 50-run mark. Three batters – KL Rahul, Pat Cummins and Romario Shepherd – have slammed an IPL fifty in 14 balls, and five batters – Yusuf Pathan, Sunil Narine, Pooran, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – have reached the 50-run mark in 15 balls each.
Australia’s Fraser-McGurk and India’s Sooryavanshi are only two players in the history of the Indian Premier League to score multiple half-centuries in 15 balls or less.
