5 fastest half-centuries at the ICC Cricket World Cup

Super Sunday's blockbuster encounter between India and Australia managed to live up to the hype surrounding the match. While India managed to defeat the Aussies by 36 runs, the game was not one-sided by any stretch of the imagination. Momentum changed hands through the course of the match, and it was not until the frag end of the game that the clear winner could be predicted.

As is the norm in modern-day limited overs cricket, the last ten overs are predominantly favorable for the batsmen, allowing them to up the ante in the process.

Unfortunately for Australia, they could only manage 78 runs in the last 10 overs of their innings against India, allowing India to choke the opposition.

Alex Carey remained stranded at one end as he constantly ran out of partners in an uphill run chase. Carey himself looked in good nick as he notched up his fifty off only 25 balls. Carey's fifty is the fastest so far at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, surpassing Chris Gayle's effort against the Pakistan cricket team.

Let us take a look at some of these similar batting efforts that enthralled and entertained one and all, smashing records en-route.

#5 Mark Boucher (South Africa) - 22 balls vs West Indies, St George’s 2007

Hosts West Indies were playing their 5th match of the Super Eight stage of the 2007 Cricket World Cup against South Africa with their backs against the wall. In the 4 previous matches, they had won only against Ireland and were in desperate need of a victory to strengthen their chances of sneaking into the Top 4. South Africa, on the other hand, had other plans.

Mark Boucher is a veteran of the South African cricket team.

Batting first, SA were riding high on AB de Villiers’ fine century in the company of the experienced Jacques Kallis. The duo added 170 runs for the second wicket, a partnership that more or less defined the South Africans’ dominance over the West Indies. After Kallis, it was time for Herschelle Gibbs to flex his muscles and smash a few boundaries, ably supporting De Villiers. De Villiers’ departure on the first ball of the 44th over allowed the hosts some much-needed breathing space and the opportunity to regroup as a unit.

With the scoreboard reading 261/3, Mark Boucher almost immediately eliminated even the slightest possibility of an anti-climactic finish in resounding fashion. A fine flick off the pads of the bowling of Corey Collymore got things underway for Boucher. After rotating the strike for the next few deliveries, Boucher unleashed an onslaught, smashing Ian Bradshaw for 2 fours and a six in the 47th over. Consecutive sixes on the first 2 deliveries and a maximum on the last ball of the 49th over by Boucher ensured that he got to his fifty off just 22 balls. SA managed 356/4 in their quota of 50 overs and won the match by 67 runs.

#4 Mark Boucher (South Africa) - 21 balls vs the Netherlands, Basseterre 2007

This match will forever be remembered for Herschelle Gibbs’ six-hitting spree as he nonchalantly hit six sixes in an over off Daan van Bunge. SA’s formal obliteration of their inexperienced opposition became a classic example of minnow bashing in the following years.

Mark Boucher could strike the ball a long way.

After being put into bat first, South Africa didn't seem like they took their foot off the pedal. The veteran Jacques Kallis was involved in two back to back century stands with Graeme Smith and Gibbs respectively, en-route his unbeaten 128.

The fall of Gibbs’ wicket did not deter them side one bit as they cruised to a humongous total courtesy of Boucher. With less than 10 overs remaining in the innings, Boucher looked intimidating right from the word go. He was particularly unforgiving towards Billy Stelling and Ryan ten Doeschate, smashing them for 17 runs and 19 runs in the 35th and 38th over respectively. Boucher ended his innings on a high, scoring 75 off just 31 balls at a strike rate in excess of 200, with 9 fours and 4 sixes.

The Proteas scored a mammoth 353/3 in 40 overs, winning the match comfortably by 221 runs.

#3 Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) - 20 balls vs Scotland, Hobart 2015

One of the lesser talked about innings on this list features Angelo Mathews at his clinical best. The reason we do not hear much about this incredible effort is that it coincided with the Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara’s most significant purple patch as a batsman in ODI cricket. Sangakkara scored 4 consecutive centuries at the 2015 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup, a record that still stands.

Angelo Mathews has maintained his status as one of the key batsmen of the Sri Lankan team.

In this match, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Lahiru Thirimanne’s early dismissal did not stop the belligerent Lankan lions from stamping their authority. Centuries from Dilshan and Sangakkara took Sri Lanka to 244/4 at the end of the 37th over. Mathews had his task cut out.

Mathews started his innings by smashing Michael Leask for 16 runs on the last three balls of the 38th over. After rotating the strike and allowing his partner Kusal Perera to do the bulk of the damage in the following overs, Mathews shifted gears after his partner’s dismissal.

Matthews brought up his fifty in some fashion, scoring sixes of the second, third, fourth and fifth ball of the bowling of Matt Machan in the 44th over of the innings. He was caught on the last ball of the 44th over, but not before he had given the Sri Lankan innings the much-needed impetus. Sri Lanka managed 363 in their 50 overs and won the match comfortably by 148 runs.

#2 Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) - 20 balls vs Canada, Gros Islet 2007

New Zealand took on Canada in this Group C fixture at the 2007 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Canada won the toss and elected to field first on a belter of a pitch at Gros Islet. Lou Vincent’s century coupled with a half-century from the captain Stephen Fleming assured that the NZ team got off to a formidable start. The Canadian team managed to apply some pressure during the middle overs, stalling the NZ team’s momentum. At 278/5 McCullum walked out to bat in the company of Jacob Oram with exactly 7 overs left in the innings.

McCullum features twice on this list.

McCullum first targeted Kevin Sandher, Canada’s best bowler of the day, by smashing him for 2 sixes in the 46th over. McCullum was batting on 37(17) before the final over was to be bowled by Sunil Dhaniram. McCullum clobbered 2 towering sixes on the first three deliveries of the last over to bring up his half-century off just 20 balls. His innings comprised of 5 sixes and a solitary four.

NZ managed a promising 363/5 in their allotted 50 overs.

Canada showed tremendous grit and determination in their run chase, but a total in excess of 300 was always going to be a tough ask for any given side. New Zealand won the match by 114 runs.

#1 Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) - 18 balls vs England, Wellington 2015

The only instance in this list, when the term minnow bashing does not necessarily form the basis of splendid batting fireworks. In the 9th match of the 2015 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup, McCullum gave us a glimpse of his unorthodox batting approach that was set to become the norm in the individual’s campaign for the remainder of the tournament.

Tim Southee’s 7/33 sucked the life out of the English batting, making it hard for the men from England to recuperate.

McCullum can score at a brisk pace.

If Southee’s magical spell didn’t bamboozle the opposition, McCullum’s batting exploits would have definitely made them run for cover. McCullum smashed only the second ball of his innings for a six, a powerful cut shot of the middle of the bat. He further smashed Stuart Broad for three consecutive fours on the last three deliveries of the second over.

Steven Finn was in for a big surprise as McCullum smashed him for 20 runs in his very first over. McCullum had moved to 48(17) in some thumping style. He had to wait for another 8 deliveries before he could be on strike to break his own world record. He did it in some fashion, sending the last four deliveries of Finn’s second over for four gigantic sixes.

The McCullum storm finally came to an end when he was dismissed for a brilliant 77 from 25 balls. His innings lined with 8 fours and 7 sixes. NZ chased the target of 124 in just 12.2 overs.