&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "IND vs SA, 5th T20I: Hardik Pandya slams 16-ball fifty in Ahmedabad")
Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya lit up the Narendra Modi Stadium with an explosive performance during the fifth T20I between India and South Africa in Ahmedabad on Friday (December 19). Coming in at No. 5 after quick wickets of Sanju Samson and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Pandya turned the game completely with his fearless batting. Pandya smashed an unbeaten fifty off just 16 balls, showing a mix of timing and power. His innings included four crisp boundaries and five huge sixes, taking his strike rate to over 340.
He brought up the half-century with a flat six over deep midwicket off Corbin Bosch in the 17th over of India’s innings, leaving fans and commentators stunned. The Indian all-rounder wasted no time settling into his innings. He started with a six over long-off on the very first ball he faced. In the next over, he targeted spinner George Linde, hitting two fours and two sixes. Pandya then attacked Bosch, hitting another six and a four, before reaching his half-century with yet another maximum.
Pandya also shared a brilliant partnership with Tilak Varma. The duo stitched together a 105-run partnership for the fourth wicket, giving India a massive boost in the middle overs. With this fifty, Hardik Pandya recorded the second-fastest T20I half-century by an Indian batter. Only Yuvraj Singh has achieved a faster fifty for India, reaching the mark in just 12 balls against England during the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Yuvraj’s innings is still remembered for the iconic six sixes he hit in an over off Stuart Broad.
Fastest fifties in T20Is by Indians
- Yuvraj Singh - 12 balls - India vs England - 2007
- Hardik Pandya - 16 balls - India vs South Africa - 2025
- Abhishek Sharma - 17 balls - India vs England - 2025
- KL Rahul - 18 balls - India vs Scotland - 2021
- Suryakumar Yadav - 18 balls - India vs South Africa - 2022
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