Hardik Pandya delivered a breath-taking performance in the fifth and final T20I against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday (December 19). The Indian all-rounder smashed the second-fastest half-century by an Indian batter in T20 Internationals, lighting up the stadium with his explosive batting.
How Hardik Pandya reached his milestone
Coming in at No. 5, Hardik Pandya wasted no time. He started with a six over long-off off the first ball he faced. In the next over from spinner George Linde, he hammered two fours and two sixes. He then targeted Corbin Bosch, hitting a six and a four before sealing his fifty with a flat six over deep midwicket in the 17th over.
His knock featured four fours and five sixes, reaching 50 in just 16 balls. Pandya continued the assault, eventually scoring 63 off 25 balls before being dismissed. Alongside Tilak Varma's 73 off 42, their 105-run partnership powered India to a massive 231/5 in 20 overs.
Comparison with Yuvraj Singh's iconic knock
The only Indian ahead of Pandya is the legendary Yuvraj Singh, who scored a 12-ball fifty against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Pandya's effort pushed Abhishek Sharma's 17-ball fifty (against England in 2025) to third place.
Fastest T20I fifties by Indian batters
Yuvraj Singh: 12 balls vs England (2007)
Hardik Pandya: 16 balls vs South Africa (2025)
Abhishek Sharma: 17 balls vs England (2025)
KL Rahul: 18 balls vs Scotland (2021)
Suryakumar Yadav: 18 balls vs South Africa (2022)
Pandya's blitz not only set a challenging total but highlighted his role as a game-changer in T20 cricket. With power-hitting like this, he continues to be a vital asset for India in the shortest format.
India vs South Africa: Playing XIs
South Africa (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
