Hardik Pandya played a blinder of an innings, scoring 63 off 25 balls in Ahmedabad against South Africa to help India secure a 30-run victory in the final T20I of the five-match series.
His knock played a vital role in winning the series by a 3-1 margin. He hit the second-fastest fifty by an Indian in T20Is, completing the landmark in 16 balls. He stands behind the great Yuvraj Singh, who achieved the feat in 12 balls during the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007.
Fastest half-centuries for India in T20Is (by balls)
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
In the post-match presentation, the Player of the Match, Hardik, spoke about the achievement and said: “No, I actually didn’t know (he has the second fastest fifty for India) until I got out and went back. Our social media guys told me I was the second-fastest. My first reaction was, ‘Ah, I missed the top spot!’ But happy that Yuvi pa holds that record.”
Hardik built a partnership of 105 runs off 44 balls with Tilak Varma that acted as the backbone of India’s total of 231. His breathtaking innings included five fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 252.
“Today I just felt it. I actually told my partner beforehand that I was going to step out first ball and try to hit it for six. I was confident it would come off. The situation suited my style; I backed myself and it worked. I took a calculated risk and thankfully it went my way. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge. No matter how many setbacks you face, the aim is to come back stronger, better, and make a bigger impact. When it all comes together, it feels satisfying. But the journey continues – the preparation, the planning, the hard work never stops,” he added.
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