IPL 2020: Top 5 fastest fifties in IPL history

These top knocks from the batsmen entertained the crowd on the day.

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KL Rahul
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KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)

KL Rahul
KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)

Innovative. Adroit. Unorthodox. These are some of the words which will come to our mind when we talk about the batsmen in the T20 era. In a format that is heavily loaded in favour of the willow wielders, a batsman can change the course of a match in a jiffy.

The margin for error for a bowler is minimal in this format, as the batsmen go hammer and tongs after the bowling. And, even a cameo that lasts as less as 20 balls can make a massive difference to the outcome of a game in the T20 format. And, there have been several occasions where the batsmen have made the bowlers appear absolutely flummoxed with their ravishing deeds with the willow.

In this article, let us look at the five fastest fifties in Indian Premier League (IPL):

5. Chris Gayle (RCB)

Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle. (Photo Source: Twitter)

On a coruscating afternoon in Bangalore, a batting behemoth exterminated the Pune Warriors outfit at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Chris Gayle was in the mood for complete annihilation on that day and smashed the highest score ever in IPL history. He clobbered a total of 175 runs, including a whopping 154 runs in boundaries alone, as the Pune side was left completely discombobulated by the destructive Jamaican.

In fact, such was Gayle’s domination on that day, that he reached his fifty off just 17 balls. The Pune bowlers were taken to the cleaners as he launched an assault on the opposition. While Ishwar Pandey was clobbered for 5 boundaries in an over by Gayle, Mitchell Marsh was belted for 28 runs in the fifth over as Gayle stamped his supremacy all over the bowlers.

Even after his half century, Gayle was just irrepressible. He reached his century off just 30 balls, and it is a record that has not been beaten yet. The sixes continued to flow, the bowlers continued to remain flabbergasted through the course of a record shattering innings, as Gayle finally finished with an elephantine score of 175*, and propelled his side to a total of 263, the highest in IPL history.

The IPL has not seen an innings that has been as destructive, as ethereal and as dominating as the one that Gayle conjured with the willow against the Pune side.

4. Suresh Raina (CSK)

Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS)

Grace, panache and luscious splendor characterized the knock that CSK’s highest run scorer conjured at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. The Chennai Super Kings were set a daunting target of 227 for a victory, and Suresh Raina walked in with the score reading 1/1. The left hander started his innings by flicking Mitchell Johnson for a boundary past the keeper off the first ball he faced.

Raina tore into Sandeep Sharma in the second over of the innings. While the first two deliveries were deposited over mid off’s head for consecutive boundaries, the third ball was thumped over mid wicket for six. If that six was about power, then Raina’s next boundary showed that he could caress the ball as well. To a ball that was pitched on middle stump, the southpaw gave himself room and threaded the ball between point and cover. Sandeep Sharma was taken to the cleaners, and Raina’s master class left the bowler dumbfounded.

But then, he played the shot of the match off the fourth ball of the fourth over. Mitchell Johnson steamed in, and delivered the ball on middle stump at a searing pace of 149 kmph. Raina got onto his front foot and just swatted the delivery over mid wicket for six.

The left hander got to his half century off the 16th ball he faced. To a delivery that was pitched on off stump and swung away, Raina transferred his weight onto the front foot and creamed the ball over cover for six. And with that, he completed the 4th fastest IPL fifty and the fastest ever, for the Chennai Super Kings.

Raina continued to his vicious assault on the opposition, as Parvinder Awana was smashed for 33 runs in a single over. The Chennai side reached 100 runs in just 6 overs, and he had scored 87 of those. But then, against the run of play, Raina was caught short of his crease by George Bailey. Given the form that he was in, it seemed as if a run out was the only way he could be dismissed.

3. Sunil Narine (KKR)

Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: Getty Imagges)

The Royal Challengers Bangalore bore the brunt of a rollicking innings from the willow of Sunil Narine on 7th May 2017. The West Indian tore into the bowling attack of the opposition, as the Kolkata side romped home with 6 wickets to spare.

Narine opened his account off the third ball he faced. Samuel Badree tossed the ball up, Narine went for the expansive drive, the ball took the edge and flew past short third man into the boundary. In the 4th over of the innings, Narine launched a merciless assault on fellow country man. Badree tossed the first three balls up, inviting the batsman to come forward. Narine accepted the invitation every single time with glee and deposited Badree into the crowd for three consecutive sixes.

Badree was rattled. Off the next delivery, the bowler went short, Narine rocked onto the back foot and pulled the ball past fine leg into the boundary. He got to his half century off the 15th delivery he faced. Sreenath Arvind bowled a length delivery, Narine got onto the front foot and with an air of disdain, deposited the ball into the crowd to get to his fifty.

The left hander’s innings came to an end soon. Aniket Choudhary bowled a short delivery even as Narine went for the pull, but the ball took the outside edge and settled into the hands of the keeper. Narine departed for 54 off just 17 deliveries, and his whirlwind knock set the stage for Kolkata to chase down the target with 29 balls to spare.

2. Yusuf Pathan (KKR)

Yusuf Pathan
Yusuf Pathan. (Photo Source: Twitter)

When Yusuf Pathan is at his destructive best, the boundary ropes almost cease to exist, and the opposition is sure to have shivers running down their spine. The right hander can single handedly decimate any bowling attack, and his raw power and strength marks him out as a nightmare for the bowlers.

In the 2014 edition of the IPL, at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium, Pathan tore into the bowling attack of the Sunrisers Hyderabad and enabled the Kolkata Knight Riders to cross the finish line against their opponents. Pathan came out to bat with his side in a spot of bother at 55/2 at the end of 7.3 overs. They needed more than a 100 runs to trump SRH.

Pathan was dropped off the very first delivery that he faced. To a ball that was tossed up, he tried to clear deep mid wicket, but the ball went straight to the fielder. But then, Aniruddha Srikanth put down a straight forward chance. Off the first ball of the 11th over, the batsman scored his first six of the night. Parvez Rasool dropped the ball short, Pathan’s eyes lit up, and he deposited the ball over deep mid wicket into the crowd. He got another chance when Dale Steyn dropped him at deep square leg. The fielders were extremely benevolent to Pathan on that day.

He started his demolition of the bowlers. Karn Sharma gave the ball air, Pathan got onto the front foot and deposited the ball into the crowd again. The right hander got to his fifty with a shot that had ‘savage’ written all over it. Steyn dropped the ball short at 144.7 kmph and he pulled off the front foot as the ball breezed past the deep mid-wicket for a six. And with that, he completed his half century off just 15 balls, the second fastest ever in IPL history.

Pathan’s innings came to end when he tried to swat Karn Sharma into the leg side. He could not get the elevation that he desired, and the ball landed straight into the hands of Shikhar Dhawan. And with that, a belligerent knock from his willow drew to a close. His assault allowed the Kolkata side to thrash their opposition by 4 wickets with 34 balls remaining.

1. KL Rahul (KXIP)

KL Rahul
KL Rahul. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)

Taking the top spot in the list is KL Rahul. His stroke play is effervescent, and when he is in full flight, he provides an exalted experience to the viewer. On 8th April 2018, the Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) bore the brunt of a refulgent innings from Rahul as he pounded his way to a 14-ball half century.

The Punjab side won the toss and opted to field first. Riding on a half century from skipper Gautam Gambhir, the Delhi side put on 166 runs on the board. And, any thoughts that Delhi had of winning the match were thwarted by Rahul, who ripped apart their bowling attack to shreds. He scored his first six of the game off the fourth delivery that he faced.

Trent Boult charged in and delivered a short delivery on the hip. Rahul went for the pull, the ball took the edge of his bat and landed into the crowd. Off the next ball, he charged down the track and smashed Boult over cover. This was a shot where he was in complete control and signalled his intent to the opposition.

The next ball from Boult was over pitched. Rahul transferred his weight onto the front foot, and unleashed the square drive through the off side and the ball raced away to the boundary. The Kiwi pacer was smashed for 16 runs in the first over, and Punjab were off to a flying start.

KL Rahul then welcomed Amit Mishra to the bowling crease by dancing down the track and driving him with the turn past cover for a boundary. The leg spinner tossed the next delivery up, and Rahul deposited Mishra over mid off into the crowd. The leggie then went short, but Rahul was quick to spot it. He transferred his weight onto the back foot and smashed the ball past mid wicket for a boundary. The Karnataka lad got to his half century off the 14th ball he faced by dancing down the track and driving Mishra past mid on.

However, his fireworks came to a close immediately. Boult came around the wicket and delivered a low full toss to which the right hander went for the flick only for the ball to take the the outside edge and fly straight to third man. And with that, Rahul walked back after literally decimating the opposition in his 16-ball stay.

Note: All the stats have been taken from iplt20.com and have been updated as on 13th October 2020

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