Fastest fifty in Test cricket ft. Ben Stokes
The pace of Test cricket has increased. Most batters no longer focus on making the ball older by relying on solid defense; instead, they look to take on the bowlers more aggressively. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that players who tend to play aggressively have helped keep the thrill of the format alive. Young players like Rishabh Pant, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Travis Head, etc., bring a certain excitement needed for the format to stay alive. Having said that, every generation had some players who played quite the opposite of how batters approached Test cricket.
Over the years, numerous batters stuck to their aggressive style of play even in Test cricket. Some of them also managed to etch their names in the history books by setting eye-catching records. While countless half-centuries have been scored in Test cricket, only some have made history as they were scored at a very fast pace.
In this article, let's look at the five fastest fifties in Test cricket:
1. Misbal Ul Haq - 21 balls
Former Pakistan captain Misbah Ul Haq holds the record for scoring the fastest fifty in Test cricket. He achieved the feat during Pakistan’s historic 2-0 series win against Australia in 2014 in the UAE. This was the first time Pakistan had whitewashed Australia in a two-match Test series, and skipper Misbah Ul Haq led the side with authority.
The second Test match saw Misbah hit a fifty off just 21 balls in the second innings. He went on to hit the then joint-fastest hundred in Test cricket as well, reaching the feat in just 56 balls. His fifty helped Pakistan declare their innings at 293/3 and later bundled out Australia for 246 to win the Test match by a massive margin of 356 runs.
2. David Warner- 23 balls
In 2017, Pakistan went to Australia for a three-match Test series and a five-match ODI series. The hosts blanked Pakistan 3-0, taking perfect revenge for their previous defeat. Australian opener David Warner was phenomenal at the top of the order. He finished the series as Australia’s second-highest run-getter with 356 runs in five innings at an average of 71.20.
David Warner also set the record for the second fastest fifty in Test cricket in the third Test. Australia had notched 538 runs in the first innings and, in response, Pakistan were bowled out for 315. In a bid to set a seizable target, Australia looked to score runs quickly in the second innings and Warner led the way with the bat. He notched a half-century in just 23 balls and ended his innings on 55 off 27 balls. Australia won that game quite comfortably by 220 runs.
3. Jacques Kallis - 24 balls
Arguably, the best all-rounder ever played in the history of the game, Jacques Kallis needs no introduction. The South-African all-rounder showcased excellent all-round skills across formats for the Proteas for close to two decades. He holds the record for hitting the third fastest fifty in Test cricket, accomplishing the feat in just 24 balls. In the first Test against Zimbabwe in 2005, South Africa bowled out the visitors for a paltry score of 54. In reply, South Africa piled up a 340-run total in just 50 overs. South Africa made a racing start and tore apart Zimbabwe’s bowling unit. At 234/2, Kallis walked out and played a blistering knock of 54 off 25 balls. The Proteas won that game by an innings and 21 runs.
4. Ben Stokes - 24 balls
England’s bazball approach has somewhat added excitement to Test cricket, which has been losing its charm for some time now. Ben Stokes has been in charge of England’s new Test outfit, which doesn’t consider a draw as a result. In the third Test of the home Test series against West Indies in 2024, England were set a target of just 82 runs to win the match.
Skipper Ben Stokes walked out to open the innings with Ben Duckett, as Crawley was injured. The southpaw tore apart the West Indies with a flurry of boundaries. He smashed nine fours and two sixes en route to an outstanding knock of 57 runs in 28 balls. He reached his half-century off just 24 balls.
5. Shane Shillingford - 25 balls
West Indies off-break bowler Shane Shillingford, who batted at number eleven in the first Test against New Zealand in 2014, held the record for hitting the fastest fifty by a West Indies batter in Test cricket. He is currently in the fifth spot in the list of the five fastest fifties in Test cricket.
Having set a target of 403 runs, West Indies had lost nine wickets for just 134 runs. What followed was an array of boundaries as Shillinford smashed five sixes and four fours, playing an unbeaten knock of 53 runs in just 29 balls. He reached his half-century off just 25 balls.
