India make history with fastest fifty in T20, surpassing previous record held by Pakistan

Prema Rawat of India A bats during match two of the ODI Women’s Series between Australia A and India A at the Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club on August 15, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (File Photo/Getty Images) Indian pacer Prema Rawat created a new record in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy by scoring the fastest half-century in women’s T20 cricket. On Monday, she represented Uttarakhand against Hyderabad in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy Elite match at the MCA Cricket Stadium in Gahunje, Pune, reaching her fifty in just 14 balls. She broke the previous record of 15 deliveries held by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana.Prema remained unbeaten on 50 off 14 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes at a pace of 357.14. Her innings helped Uttarakhand post 187 for two after opting to bat first. She was also named Player of the Match for her all-round performance.Fatima set the previous record in May 2026 when she scored a fifty against Zimbabwe in Karachi. The Pakistan skipper broke the previous women’s T20 international record of 18 balls, jointly held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine, Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield and India’s Richa Ghosh.Fatima’s knock also equaled the overall women’s T20 record previously held by Marie Kelly and Laura Harris. Prema has now reduced that boundary to 14 balls. However, Fatima still holds the record for the fastest fifty in a women’s T20 international.Uttarakhand’s innings also saw contributions from openers Raghvi Bista who scored 72 off 50 balls and Kareena who made 44 off 34 deliveries.Hyderabad struggled in the chase and failed to build a partnership as they ended up on 98 for eight in 20 overs. Uttarakhand won the match by 89 runs.Prema also contributed with the ball as she claimed two wickets for 12 runs in her four overs after a record innings.While the knock has drawn attention to her batting, Prema is primarily known as a leg-spinner. She won a place in India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad after Shreyanka Patil was sidelined with an ankle injury.Prema’s selection came after her performances for India A. She took eight wickets in five matches during the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars team’s successful campaign. She also took seven wickets in three T20 matches during India A’s 2025 tour of Australia.Prema made her senior debut in 2026 and has since played seven T20Is for India, taking seven wickets. Her best figures of 3/9 came against Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup.