Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Akram smashed a 13-ball half-century in the National T20 Cup Qualifiers, breaking a 21-year-old national record for the fastest T20 fifty by a Pakistani batter.
Playing for Bahawalpur against Hyderabad at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the 24-year-old opened the batting in a chase of 112 runs. He reached his fifty in just 13 balls and completed a 15-ball half-century overall, powering his team to victory in just 9.3 overs.
Akram built a 77-run opening partnership off only 29 deliveries with Mohammad Sudais, putting Bahawalpur in complete control of the chase.
Hyderabad, who batted first, struggled from the start. They lost both openers by the fourth over with just six runs on the board and were reduced to 16-4 at the end of the powerplay. Captain Rizwan Mehmood held the innings together with 56 off 51 balls.
His knock included a 39-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Daniyal Hussain and a 30-run stand for the seventh wicket with Jawad Ali. Hyderabad finished at 111-8, avoiding being bowled out.
The chase, however, belonged entirely to Akram. After starting with a single in the first over, he attacked Mustafa Nasir in the second over, hitting four boundaries and a six.
He followed that by smashing three sixes and a four off Mohammad Hasnain. Akram brought up his fifty with a boundary and a single in the fourth over against Noman Ali.
His innings included two dot balls, two singles, six fours and four sixes. Although he was eventually dismissed by Shehryar Baloch, he had already done enough to secure an easy win for Bahawalpur.
Akram’s 13-ball half-century broke the previous Pakistani record of 14 balls set by Imran Nazir. It is also the joint-seventh fastest fifty in T20 cricket history. The world record remains Dipendra Singh Airee’s nine-ball half-century.
Fastest T20 Fifties by Pakistani Batters
Rank
Player
Balls
Team
Venue
Year
1
Mohammad Akram
13
Bahawalpur
Lahore
2026
2
Imran Nazir
14
Sialkot
Lahore
2005
3
Ahmed Shehzad
16
Barisal Burners
Dhaka
2012
4
Imran Nazir
17
Sialkot Stallions
Lahore
2009
5
Shahzaib Hasan
17
Karachi Dolphins
Lahore
2010
6
Musadiq Ahmed
17
Peshawar
Rawalpindi
2015
7
Kamran Akmal
17
Peshawar Zalmi
Lahore
2018
8
Asif Ali
17
Islamabad United
Karachi
2019
