| Player | Team | Balls taken to 50 | Final Score | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 16 | 149 | West Indies | Johannesburg | 18 Jan 2015 |
| Matthew Forde | West Indies | 16 | 58 | Ireland | Dublin | 23 May 2025 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 17 | 76 | Pakistan | Singapore | 07 Apr 1996 |
| Kusal Perera | Sri Lanka | 17 | 68 | Pakistan | Pallekele | 15 Jul 2015 |
| Martin Guptill | New Zealand | 17 | 93 | Sri Lanka | Christchurch | 28 Dec 2015 |
| Liam Livingstone | England | 17 | 66* | Netherlands | Amstelveen | 17 Jun 2022 |
| Simon O’Donnell | Australia | 18 | 74 | Sri Lanka | Sharjah | 02 May 1990 |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 18 | 102 | Sri Lanka | Nairobi | 04 Oct 1996 |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 18 | 55* | Netherlands | Colombo | 21 Sep 2002 |
| Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 18 | 60 | India | Bangalore | 02 Nov 2013 |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 18 | 59 | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 04 Mar 2014 |
| Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 18 | 77 | England | Wellington | 20 Feb 2015 |
| Aaron Finch | Australia | 18 | 55 | Sri Lanka | Dambulla | 31 Aug 2016 |
| Michael Leask | Scotland | 18 | 55 | Papua New Guinea | Dubai (DSC) | 13 Apr 2022 |
Key Insights – Fastest Fifties in ODI Cricket
Fastest Overall: The record for the fastest fifty in ODI cricket is shared by AB de Villiers and Matthew Forde, both reaching the milestone in just 16 balls. De Villiers achieved this against the West Indies in 2015, while Forde did it against Ireland in 2025.
Captain & Wicketkeeper: De Villiers’ 16-ball fifty is also the fastest ever by a captain and a wicketkeeper in an ODI inning.
Related Records: In that same record-breaking match, de Villiers went on to score the fastest-ever ODI hundred, taking just 31 balls (Check the top ten here). This explosive innings helped South Africa post their highest team total in ODIs: 439 for 2. A month later, de Villiers also hit the fastest-ever ODI 150, off just 64 balls, against the same opponent at the 2015 World Cup.
Tournament Records
- World Cup: Brendon McCullum holds the record for the fastest fifty in an ODI World Cup, scoring his half-century off 18 balls against England in 2015.
- Champions Trophy: Shahid Afridi holds the record for the fastest fifty in a Champions Trophy, achieving his in 18 balls against the Netherlands in 2002.
Most Fast Fifties: Shahid Afridi has the most ODI fifties scored in 20 or fewer balls, with six such instances. He also holds the record for scoring half-centuries in 22 or fewer balls against the most different teams (seven).
Associate Nations: Michael Leask holds the record for the fastest fifty by an associate batter, reaching the mark in 18 deliveries against Papua New Guinea in 2022.
By Batting Position: The joint-fastest fifty by an opener belongs to Sanath Jayasuriya and Kusal Perera, both of whom scored a fifty off 17 balls for Sri Lanka.
Highest Team Total: Liam Livingstone’s 17-ball fifty helped England to the highest-ever ODI total: 498 for 4 against the Netherlands in 2022.
