Top 5 fastest fifties in IPL finals ft. Venkatesh Iyer
Scoring big in an IPL final is the dream of every batter. The IPL finals put the players under enormous pressure because the stakes are at the highest. Players who perform in IPL finals are remembered for years.
Over the last 17 seasons, cricket fans have witnessed some unknown names rise to the occasion and deliver the goods at the grandest stage, while a few star players have succumbed under the pressure of the big occasion. A few IPL legends have also delivered memorable performances with the bat in the finals.
In this listicle, we will look at the five quickest half-centuries by batters in IPL finals.
#5 Chris Gayle - 50 off 25 balls vs SRH, IPL 2016 Final
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) took on the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2016 Final. M Chinnaswamy Stadium hosted the game and Chris Gayle played a fantastic knock of 76 in a run-chase of 209.
Gayle took just 25 balls to complete his half-century. He hit three fours and five sixes to race to a half-century at a strike rate of 200. Unfortunately for Gayle, his blitzkreig ended in a losing cause.
#4 Rohit Sharma - 50 off 25 balls vs CSK, IPL 2015 Final
Rohit Sharma guided Mumbai Indians (MI) to the final in 2015 and led from the front on the grand stage against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Parthiv Patel was run out for a duck, bringing Rohit to the middle on the fifth ball itself.
Sharma and Lendl Simmons had a 119-run second-wicket stand, with both batters completing their fifties. Sharma took just 25 balls for his half-century. He lost his wicket on the next ball after reaching 50, but his six fours and two sixes helped MI win by 41 runs.
#3 David Warner - 50 off 24 balls vs RCB, IPL 2016 Final
Just before Chris Gayle's half-century, fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium witnessed a quickfire half-ton from SRH skipper David Warner. Opening the batting for Hyderabad, Warner scored 69 off 38.
He needed only 24 balls to complete his first 50 runs, which included five fours and three maximums. Warner's innings played a big role in SRH's maiden IPL title win.
#2 Venkatesh Iyer - 50 off 24 balls vs SRH, IPL 2024 Final
Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer has proven himself as a big match player. Iyer is the only player to have recorded four consecutive scores of 50 or more in IPL playoffs.
The fourth one came last night against the SunRisers Hyderabad, as he took 24 balls for his half-century. Iyer finished with 52 off 26, helping KKR chase the 114-run target inside 11 overs.
#1 Suresh Raina - 50 off 24 balls vs MI, IPL 2010 Final
The record for the fastest fifty in IPL finals is jointly held by Suresh Raina, Venkatesh Iyer, and David Warner. All three batters scored 50 off 24 in IPL finals.
While Warner and Iyer did it in the IPL finals of 2016 and 2024, respectively, Raina did it way back in 2010 against the Mumbai Indians. Batting at number three, Raina hit two fours and three sixes for his 24-ball fifty. He remained unbeaten on 57 off 35. CSK won by 22 runs that night and lifted the IPL trophy for the first time.