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#1 Fastest half-century
The IPL has seen some truly extraordinary knocks. Remember Chris Gayle's breathtaking knock of 175 against the Pune Warriors? Or Brendon McCullum's annihilation of bowlers en route a mammoth score of 158 in the very first match of the IPL? Other modern greats including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and David Warner to name a few have lit up the IPL with some surreal knocks as well.
There have been a total of 19 instances wherein a half-century has been scored in under or equal to 20 deliveries. Scoring at a strike rate of over 250 literally means that a boundary is being scored in every other ball. The list of fastest fifties features familiar names such as Gayle, Warner, Dhoni, Gilchrist and Raina. Yusuf Pathan is among the two cricketers who top this list with his 15-ball half-century, against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014. Considering his intrepid style of batting, this doesn't come as much of a surprise. However, the person who tops the list is shocking to say the very least.
In the 2017 edition of the IPL, Sunil Narine shocked everyone as he equalled Yusuf's record for fastest IPL half-century. Narine dismantled the Royal Challengers Bangalore's bowling attack as he plundered 6 fours and 4 sixes to score 54 of just 17 balls. Narine smashed three gigantic sixes and a four in the first four balls that he faced from his countryman and fellow spinner, Samuel Badree.
Narine slammed another four boundaries and one massive six off the bowling of a hapless Sreenath Aravind to bring up his record-equaling half-century in style.
Narine has been one of the IPL's most successful bowlers, having taken 95 scalps at a humble economy of 6.32. Imagining him having the record of fastest IPL half-century would have been near impossible for anybody prior to the 2017 season. After all, from 2012 to 2016, Narine had a combined total of 47 runs against his name.
It was uncharacteristic to see him open the batting for the Knight Riders in the 2017 season. Boy, were we in for a surprise! The spinner whacked 224 runs at a strike rate of over 170. His innings against the Royal Challengers is his only half-century in the IPL, and it was surely one to remember!
