Fastest fifties in World Cup 2023: Kusal Perera smashes 22-ball fifty in NZ vs SL match

The left-hander reached his fifty off 22 balls and also scored the joint-second fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in World Cup history.

Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera plays a shot against New Zealand in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU

Opener Kusal Perera smashed the fastest half-century of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 during Sri Lanka’s match against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.

The left-hander reached his fifty off 22 balls and also scored the joint-second fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in World Cup history. Angelow Mathews’ 20-ball fifty against Scotland in 2015 is the fastest by a Sri Lankan. Dinesh Chandimal is the other Sri Lankan to score a 22-ball World Cup fifty.

Perera was eventually dismissed by Lockie Ferguson for a 28-ball 51, which included nine fours and two sixes.

Before Perera’s knock on Thursday, Australia’s Travis Head and Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis held the record for the fastest fifties in the ongoing tournament. They scored their fifties off 25 balls against New Zealand and South Africa, respectively.

Fastest fifties in ODI World Cup 2023

• 22 balls - Kusal Perera (SL) vs New Zealand, Bengaluru
• 25 balls -Travis Head (AUS) vs New Zealand, Dharamsala
• 25 balls - Kusal Mendis (SL) vs South Africa, Delhi

Fastest fifties in all ODI World Cups

• 18 balls - Brendon McCullum (NZ) vs England, Wellington (2015)
• 20 balls - Brendon McCullum (NZ) vs Canada, Gros Islet (2007)
• 20 balls - Angelo Mathews (SL) vs Scotland, Hobart (2015)