Railways batter Ashutosh Sharma shatters Yuvraj Singh's massive 16-year-old record in SMAT 2023

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 match between Railways and Arunachal Pradesh has witnessed a huge record. Railways' Ashutosh Sharma became the fastest-ever Indian batter to score a half-century in T20 cricket. The right-hander hit an 11-ball fifty and broke legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh's 16-year-old record. 

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Railways and Arunachal Pradesh are up against each other at the JSCA Oval Ground in Ranchi on Tuesday, October 17. After opting to bat first, Railways openers Shivam Chaudhary and Pratham Singh got off to a brisk start. However, Arunachal Pradesh struck three wickets at regular intervals to restrict their opponents to 61-3 in eight overs. 

Wicketkeeper batter Upendra Yadav and Shubham Chaubey then steadied the ship with a fine partnership before the latter got out in the 15th over. Yadav was firing at one end and it escalated when Ashutosh joined the carnage. Together, the duo demolished the Arunachal Pradesh bowling attack with ruthless batting. 

The two stitched a 95-run partnership for the fifth wicket and during the process, both notched up their half-centuries. Yab Niya got rid of Ashutosh in the 19th over but the damage was already done by then. His scintillating 52 off 12 balls included 8 sixes and a four. Yuvraj slammed a 12-ball fifty against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup, including six sixes in an over against pacer Stuart Broad.  

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Meanwhile, Upendra continued his onslaught and went on to register a brilliant hundred. The 27-year-old scored an unbeaten 103 off 51 balls (9 sixes and 6 fours) and pushed the team total to 246-5 in 20 overs. In reply, ARNP was bowled out for 119 runs and Railways won by a massive 127 runs. 

Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee holds the record for fastest T20 fifty

In a record-breaking Asian Games 2023 match on September 27 in China's Hangzhou, Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee overtook Yuvraj to set the record for the fastest T20 fifty. Airee smoked eight sixes and completed his half-century in just nine balls. The all-rounder remained unbeaten on 52* in just 10 balls - a strike rate of 520, the best ever in a T20I innings.

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However, it was only one of many records set in the match. Nepal became the first-ever team to score more than 300 runs in a T20I innings. The previous highest score was 278/3 against Ireland in 2019 by Afghanistan. The Associate Member of the Cricket Governing Body won by 273 runs and set the record for the biggest margin of victory in terms of runs in T20I cricket. Kushal Malla, their No. 3 batter, scored the fastest T20I century (off 34 balls).