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Hardik Pandya of India celebrates his fifty during the 5th T20I match between India and South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, India on December 19, 2025. (CREIMAS for BCCI)
Hardik Pandya’s belligerent hitting helped him shatter records as he became the second fastest Indian player to score a T20I half century. He brought up his milestone in just 16 deliveries, 4 more than Yuvraj Singh who got to his 50 in 12 deliveries back in 2007 against England at Durban. Pandya who came to bat at No.5 took George Linde to task as he slammed 2 sixes and 2 fours off him in the 14th over going to 31 off just 7 balls.
He showed no signs of slowing down as he blasted 2 sixes and a four in the 17th over bowled by Corbin Bosch to reach his milestone.
This has been a series of milestones for the Baroda aallrounder Pandya joined compatriots Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to become the third Indian bowler to get to 100 wickets in men’s T20Is. Pandya, who started the day on 99 wickets, grabbed the 100th scalp when he snapped up Tristan Stubbs in the 3rdd T20I match against South Africa in Dharamasala on Sunday. He would have gotten there sooner but the Baroda player went wicketless in the 2nd T20I match in Mullanpur where India lost to the Proteas.
Pandya, who was out for 2 months due to a quadriceps injury he sustained during the Asia Cup, had made his return to the India set up in the 1st T20I in Cuttack where he blazed a quickfire 59 runs off 28 balls, helping India post 175/6 after the Men in Blue were in a bit of a fix after losing some early wickets. Pandya also struck with the very first ball he bowled when he sent back David Miller for 1.
“I had to back my shots. I realised the wicket had a bit of spice. I had to be a bit gutsy. It was more about timing the ball, not breaking the ball. I was very satisfied with the way I was batting,” he had said after the match where he got the player of the match award.
Fastest 50s by Indians in T20Is
12 – Yuvraj Singh vs ENG, Durban, 2007 WC
16 – Hardik Pandya vs SA, Ahmedabad, 2025*
17 – Abhishek Sharma vs ENG, Wankhede, 2025
18 – KL Rahul vs SCO, Dubai, 2021
18 – Suryakumar Yadav vs SA, Guwahati, 2022
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