Sarfaraz Khan scores fastest-ever List A half-century by an Indian
What's the story
Sarfaraz Khan has set a new record for the fastest half-century in List A history by an Indian. He achieved this feat in just 15 balls during Mumbai's Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Punjab in Jaipur. Despite Sarfaraz's record, Mumbai lost the match by a solitary run. Chasing 217, they perished for 215. Here are the key stats.
Match impact
Sarfaraz's explosive innings bolsters Mumbai
Sarfaraz's explosive innings of 62 runs off just 20 balls included 7 fours and 5 sixes. He was exposed to the middle after his brother and opener Musheer Khan departed. Sarfaraz went after Punjab captain Abhishek Sharma, hitting him for 3 sixes and as many fours in an over. However, Gurnoor Brar and Mayank Markande triggered Mumbai's batting collapse.
Historical perspective
Record-breaking feat in context
According to ESPNcricinfo, Sarfaraz's is now the fastest half-century by an Indian in List A cricket (15 balls). This is overall the fourth-fastest half-century in the format, with Sri Lanka's Kaushalya Weeraratne topping the list (12 balls). The previous record for India was jointly held by Maharashtra's Abhijit Kale and Baroda's Atit Sheth, both of whom scored their fifties in 16 balls.
Stats
A look at his stats
Sarfaraz has been in sublime form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He is currently Mumbai's highest run-scorer with 303 runs from six innings at an average of 75.75 and an astronomical strike rate of 190.56. This was his third 50-plus score in this year's tournament. Overall, the Indian batter has raced past 900 runs in List A cricket.
Career trajectory
Bid for national comeback
Sarfaraz continues his bid for a national comeback. He last played for India in a Test against New Zealand in November 2024. Last year, he finished as Mumbai's second-highest run-scorer at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (329 runs at a strike rate of 203.80). His consistent performance earned him a contract with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for his base price of ₹75 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction.