In one of the most explosive knocks in Indian domestic cricket, Punjab’s Abhishek Sharma lit up the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a blistering 12-ball half-century, joining an elite list of the fastest fifty-makers in men’s T20 cricket. The left-handed opener produced this jaw-dropping performance against Bengal during Sunday’s match in Hyderabad, rewriting the tournament’s history remarkably.
Walking out alongside Prabhsimran Singh, Abhishek wasted no time asserting his dominance. Facing a seasoned attack featuring Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Saksham Choudhary, and Writtick Chatterjee, the youngster unleashed a flurry of boundaries. His whirlwind fifty included five fours and five towering sixes, with only one dot ball in the entire first dozen deliveries he faced. Every swing spoke of confidence, timing, and supreme clarity.
This fiery knock makes Abhishek just the fifth cricketer in men’s T20 history to hammer a fifty off 12 balls, placing him alongside legends like Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, Hazratullah Zazai, and more recently, Sahil Chauhan of Estonia.
Globally, the only faster fifties remain:
Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal) – 10-ball fifty, Asian Games 2023
Ashutosh Sharma (India) – 11-ball fifty, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023–24
Yuvraj Singh’s iconic 2007 T20 World Cup blitz, featuring six sixes in one over, remains the first-ever 12-ball fifty in men’s T20s — a feat Abhishek has now equaled on the domestic stage.
For Abhishek Sharma, this innings is more than just a statistic. It’s a statement of intent. A message to selectors. And a reminder that Indian cricket’s next generation is brimming with audacious, fearless talent.