T20 WC: Marcus Stoinis creates new all-time record after absolute carnage during AUS run-chase vs SL

After a thrashing at the hands of New Zealand, Australia faced Sri Lanka and defeated the one-time winners by seven wickets, with 21 balls to spare, to open their account in the ongoing Men's T20 World Cup in Australia. The hosts and defending champions rode on Marcus Stoinis' blitz with the bat to go past the Dasun Shanaka-led side in pursuit of 158.

Opting to bowl first, Aaron Finch-led Aussies restricted the Lankans to 157 for 6, who rode on valuable knocks from Patham Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka. In reply, it was a Stoinis-show as he smacked an unbeaten 59, off 18 balls, to take his side past the finish line in 16.3 overs. Courtesy of his innings, which was laced with 4 fours and 6 sixes at a whopping strike rate of327.78, the power-hitter created new all-time record. Hebroke a record jointly held by David Warner and Glenn Maxwell to score the quickest half-century by an Aussie in T20Is.

Fastest 50s for Australia in T20Is (in terms of balls faced):

17 - M Stoinis vs SL Perth 2022

18 - D Warner vs WI Sydney 2010

18 - G Maxwell vs Pak Mirpur 2014

18 - G Maxwell vs SL Colombo 2016

Further, Stoinis also joined some big names to score the third-fastest fifty in T20 WC history, a list which continues to be spearheaded by India's former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh (since the inaugural edition).

Fastest fifties in Men's T20 World Cup (by balls faced) :-

12 - Yuvraj Singh vs ENG, 2007
17 - Stephen Myburgh vs IRE, 2014
17 - Marcus Stoinis vs SL, 2022
18 - Glenn Maxwell vs PAK, 2014
18 - KL Rahul vs SCO, 2021
18 - Shoaib Malik vs SCO, 2021

At the post-match presentation, Player-of-the-Match Stoinis said, "Once I got in, the plan was to keep going. To be honest, I was really nervous today being at home in Perth, lot of family and friends here. So, I was really nervous going into it, but really happy that we ended on putting up a clinic there. Mentally I was nice and fresh, I had a bit of time off looking after the side strain, it's been sort of plaguing me on and off for a while now, but so far so good. We played here the other day against England and it was a beautiful wicket. This did look like it was doing a bit more especially with the new ball, but it's a beautiful ground and probably the best ground in Australia if not the world with the technology and lighting going on here and my home crowd, it's a beautiful wicket. We wrapped this game up and look forward to playing England at the MCG (on Friday)."