Abhishek Sharma silenced his critics after hitting the fastest fifty in the history of T20 World Cup knockouts. The left-armer made history when India took on New Zealand in the final on Sunday, March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The record was previously held by Finn Allen with a 19-ball fifty in the semi-final against South Africa at the Eden Gardens. However, the record now belongs to Abhishek who saved his best for the final after struggling throughout the tournament.
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Abhishek also scored the fastest fifty of the ongoing tournament. The record for the fastest fifty in a T20 World Cup final was held by Heinrich Klaasen, who scored a 23-ball fifty against India in 2024 in Barbados.
Calls for Abhishek to be dropped were rife after the youngster struggled to get going and recorded three consecutive ducks against the United States, Pakistan and the Netherlands. India legend Sunil Gavaskar also suggested that India drop Abhishek concluding with a recommendation that Rinku Singh replace him.
However, Abhishek seized the opportunity to show why he is considered one of the most promising young batsmen in world cricket, especially in the shortest format.
Abhishek ended up scoring 52 runs off 21 balls, including six fours and three sixes. After being dismissed by Rachin Ravindra, he received a standing ovation from the packed Ahmedabad crowd as he walked back to the pavilion.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
March 8, 2026 7:51 PM IST
