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Matthew Forde of the West Indies has equalled AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest fifty in ODI history, reaching the mark in just 16 balls against Ireland in the second ODI.
De Villiers had set the record in 2015, scoring 149 off 44 balls against West Indies in Johannesburg. Forde looked on course to break it, racing to 42 off 13 balls, but missed a ramp shot before smashing two sixes over long-off and cover to draw level.
Forde ended his innings with 58 off 19 balls, including two fours and eight sixes. An incredible 96.55% of his runs came in boundaries, setting a new record for the highest boundary percentage in a 50-plus ODI score. The previous best was Andre Fletcher’s 96.15% against Bangladesh in 2009.
He began with a second-ball six off Barry McCarthy and hammered four sixes in an over from Josh Little. He then hit Thomas Mayes for a four and six, showing clever shot selection along with power.
Coming in at 246 for 5, Forde’s explosive knock pushed West Indies past 300 in the 47th over. With some lower-order hitting, they finished with 352 for 8, after Keacy Carty’s second ODI hundred set the platform.
