Did Sarfaraz Khan Just Set the Record for the Fastest List A Half-Century by an Indian?
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Jaipur, Jan 8 (NationPress) Indian cricketer Sarfaraz Khan has made headlines on Thursday by achieving a remarkable milestone, recording the fastest half-century by an Indian in List A cricket during the Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Mumbai and Punjab at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground.
Representing Mumbai, Sarfaraz stormed to his half-century in a mere 15 balls, breaking the previous record set by Ajith Sheth, who reached his fifty in 16 deliveries while playing for Baroda against Chhattisgarh.
Sarfaraz entered the game at a pivotal moment after his brother Musheer Khan was dismissed in the ninth over. The talented 28-year-old wasted no time showcasing his skills, unleashing an impressive 30 runs against Punjab bowler Abhishek Sharma in his first over. He continued his aggressive approach, hitting Harpreet Brar for 19 runs off five balls in the next over. His record-breaking half-century came in just 15 deliveries, breaking the long-standing five-year-old record.
As Mumbai's leading scorer, Sarfaraz was eventually out in the 15th over after an explosive performance, scoring 62 runs off just 20 balls, which included seven fours and five sixes. Alongside him, Mumbai's captain Shreyas Iyer contributed significantly with a score of 45 runs off 34 balls, featuring four fours and two sixes.
Currently in superb form throughout the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Sarfaraz holds the position of Mumbai's top run-scorer this season. He has racked up 303 runs over six innings, averaging 75.75 with a striking rate of 190.56. His impressive performances include a stunning 157 against Goa on December 31 and a half-century against Uttarakhand earlier in the tournament.
Moreover, Sarfaraz has excelled in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, accumulating 329 runs across seven matches, including a century, at an astonishing strike rate of 203.08.
Despite the outstanding performances from Sarfaraz and Iyer, Mumbai narrowly missed victory, falling just one run short of Punjab’s total of 216, as they were bowled out for 215 in 26.2 overs. The star for Punjab was Gurnoor Brar, who took four wickets, dismantling Mumbai's formidable batting order.