This has happened for the first time… 5 half-centuries in less than 20 balls, Abhishek Sharma created history, became the first batsman

New Delhi. When the sun was at its peak on the afternoon of Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, a storm of runs erupted on the field that shook the 19-year history of the IPL. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s explosive opener and world number one T20 batsman Abhishek Sharma played an innings against Punjab Kings which was recorded in golden letters in the books of cricket. This 25 year old Gabru Jawan from Amritsar has done what even the big giants of IPL have not been able to do till date. Abhishek has become the first cricketer in the world to set a record of scoring a half-century in less than 20 balls five times in IPL. During this record innings, Abhishek took only 18 balls to complete his half-century. He completed his fifty by hitting a skyscraper six on the fourth ball of Vijaykumar Vaishakh in the fifth over of the innings and immortalized his name in the pages of history.

The foundation of this achievement of Abhishek Sharma was laid in the year 2024. He scored his fastest half-century against Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad, when he completed fifty runs in just 16 balls. After this his bat did not stop. In the year 2025, he created havoc against Lucknow Super Giants in their own home in 18 balls. On Saturday, once again against Punjab, he repeated his classic innings of 18 balls. Apart from this, he has scored half-centuries twice more (once against Lucknow and once against Punjab) in just 19 balls.

Abhishek left the giants behind
Abhishek has now gone ahead in the race of scoring most fifties in less than 20 balls in IPL. At second place in this list is West Indies’ dreaded batsman Nicholas Pooran, who has 4 such innings in his name. Whereas, Jack Fraser-McGurk, Travis Head and young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi are jointly present at the third place with 3-3 such innings. However, the personal record of the fastest fifty in IPL is still in the name of Yashasvi Jaiswal of Rajasthan Royals, who achieved this feat in 13 balls in 2023. But the same player repeatedly scoring fifty runs in less than 20 balls proves that Abhishek Sharma has become the most destructive batsman in T20 cricket at present.