NEW DELHI: Records tumbled in Surat on Sunday as Meghalaya’s Akash Kumar Choudhary scripted history with the fastest-ever fifty in First-Class cricket, achieving the feat in just 11 balls during a Ranji Trophy Plate Group clash against Arunachal Pradesh.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 25-year-old right-hander turned the game into a spectacle, surpassing England’s Wayne White, who had set the previous world record with a 12-ball half-century for Leicestershire against Essex in 2012. Akash’s blitzkrieg innings not only rewrote the record books but also left spectators and players stunned by its sheer audacity.Walking in at No. 8 with Meghalaya already cruising at 576/6, Akash wasted no time asserting dominance. In just a couple of overs, he dismantled Arunachal’s bowling attack, smashing eight consecutive sixes, including six in one over off bowler Limar Dabi — a rare sight even in the most explosive T20 encounters. He remained unbeaten on 50 off 14 balls, ensuring Meghalaya declared soon after at 628 for six.
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This wasn’t just a record for the Ranji Trophy — it’s now the fastest fifty in the entire history of First-Class cricket, surpassing decades of domestic and international records. Among Indians, the previous best was Bandeep Singh’s 15-ball fifty for Jammu & Kashmir, a mark Akash obliterated with astonishing ease.The Ranji Trophy’s Plate Group has been a cradle of remarkable milestones in recent years, from Bihar’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi becoming the youngest Ranji player ever to Goa’s Kashyap Bakle and Snehal Kauthankar setting the highest partnership record (606 runs). Akash’s feat, however, elevates the competition’s legacy to an unprecedented global spotlight.Adding to his heroics, Akash later took the new ball and struck early with a wicket, capping off a dream day in Surat. As Arunachal Pradesh trailed by a massive 593 runs, the record-shattering knock from Akash Kumar ensured his name would echo far beyond the Plate Group — as the man who turned 11 deliveries into cricketing immortality.
Fastest fifties in First-Class Cricket
- 11 Balls: Akash Kumar Choudhary for Meghalaya vs Arunachal Pradesh in Surat (2025)
- 12 Balls: Wayne White for Leicestershire vs Essex in Leicester (2012)
- 13 Balls: Michael van Vuuren for Eastern Province B vs Griqualand West in Cradock (1984/85)
- 14 Balls: Ned Eckersley for Leicestershire vs Essex in Leicester (2012)
- 15 Balls: Khalid Mahmood for Gujranwala vs Sargodha in Gujranwala (2000/01)
- 15 Balls: Bandeep Singh for Jammu & Kashmir vs Tripura in Agartala (2015/16)
