Ahmedabad, February 14: South African skipper Aiden Markram created history on Saturday by scoring the fastest fifty ever by a South Africa batter in T20 World Cup matches at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The milestone came during South Africa's Group D clash against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, where Markram reached his half-century in just 19 balls. His explosive knock gave South Africa strong momentum and added another record to his name in the shortest format of the game.
With this effort, Markram moved to the top of the list of quickest fifties by South African players in T20 World Cup history. The previous best performances were held by Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers, two of South Africa's most celebrated batters. Markram's aggressive stroke play and rapid scoring stood out in a high-pressure encounter between the two unbeaten sides.
Here is a look at the fastest fifties for South Africa in T20 World Cups:
Aiden Markram – 19 balls vs New Zealand (2026)
Quinton de Kock – 21 balls vs England (2016)
Quinton de Kock – 22 balls vs England (2024)
AB de Villiers – 23 balls vs England (2014)
Heinrich Klaasen – 23 balls vs India (2024)
Ryan Rickelton – 23 balls vs Afghanistan (2026)
AB de Villiers – 24 balls vs Afghanistan (2016)
Aiden Markram – 24 balls vs England (2021)
AB de Villiers – 25 balls vs Scotland (2009)
Hashim Amla – 25 balls vs England (2016)
Markram's record-breaking innings comprised of 6 fours and 4 sixes at a strike-rate of 284.21. Chasing a target of 175 against New Zealand, South Africa is well on track to achieve the target and register their third victory in the tournament. With this victory South Africa will become the first team from the Group D to qualify for the Super 8.
