In a remarkable display of power hitting, Ashutosh Sharma, a middle-order batter for the Railways cricket team, broke Yuvraj Singh’s record for the fastest fifty by an Indian. Ashutosh achieved this milestone during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group C clash in Ranchi against Arunachal Pradesh. Yuvraj Singh, a cricketing legend, had held the record for the fastest fifty by an Indian for 16 years, with his fifty coming off 12 balls during the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 against England. However, Ashutosh Sharma changed the narrative with an astonishing performance.
The Record-Breaking Innings
Ashutosh took the crease at the score of 131 for 4 with just five overs to go. He then went on to smash 53 off 12 studded with eight sixes and just one four, which came through the covers. Ashutosh fell the next ball after reaching his record-breaking half-century and walked back with a stunning strike rate of 441.66. As many as four of his sixes sailed over the covers and long-off region, two went over long-on and two more cleared the leg-side boundary behind square. Railways amassed 115 runs in just the last five overs to finish on a commanding 246 for 5, and Arunachal Pradesh were bowled out for 119 in reply, losing by 127 runs.
Ashutosh’s Cricket Journey
Ashutosh, 25, was playing his second T20 for Railways and 10th overall. He had made his T20 debut way back in 2018 for Madhya Pradesh and last played the format in 2019. He has featured in just one 50-over game, for MP also in 2019, and is yet to make his first-class debut.
Yuvraj Singh’s Legacy
Yuvraj had held the record for the fastest fifty in T20 cricket overall also for 16 years before it was broken just last month by Dipendra Singh Airee from Nepal against Mongolia in the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Yuvraj’s innings in Durban is also best remembered for his hitting six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad.
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