Top five quickest T20 half-centuries by Virender Sehwag

4. 50 in 23 balls (51* from 26 balls – 2 fours, 5 sixes; Delhi v/s Punjab, Ferozeshah Kotla, 17 May 2008)

This was heartbreak for the Nawab of Najafgarh – his blazing innings could not overcome the old firm of Duckworth and Lewis; Preity Zinta’s Kings XI ran out winners in a rain-curtailed game thanks to the two statisticians’ accepted method of deciding such games.

After a light drizzle delayed the start, Sehwag kept the elements at bay as he and Gambhir got their side off to a rocket-like start, with the latter providing the early momentum through a flurry of shots on either side of the wicket.

Then the Indian opener took over in his own way – he wielded the bat like a submachine gun, subjecting the wayward VRV Singh to utter humiliation; two powerful sixes lit up the stands, followed by a delicate steer to the third-man fence. Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar were also tonked for sixes, but then came the first rain interruption with the batsman on 47 from just 19 deliveries.

The enforced break slowed him down, and an excellent final over from James Hopes saw the marauder gain only four runs in seven balls, completing his fifty in 23 deliveries. Punjab, however, emerged victors with Jayawardene and Pomersbach playing sensible knocks to take them to the revised target.