Fighting a lost battle in the second Test at Mirpur Mohammad Ashraful decided that enough was enough and put Indian bowling attack to sword.Almost all bowlers were hit to all corners of the ground in the highly entertaining innings of 67 which lasted for only 46 minutes. Ashraful faced 41 balls in all and hit 12 fours and two sixes. During the course of his innings Ashraful raced to his fifty in just 27 minutes and off 26 balls.
Ashraful's fifty is now the fastest ever in Test cricket history in terms of minutes and second (joint) fastest in terms of balls. The accompanying tables have the details.
Fastest Test fifties (by minutes)
Ashraful's fifty is now the fastest ever in Test cricket history in terms of minutes and second (joint) fastest in terms of balls. The accompanying tables have the details.
Fastest Test fifties (by minutes)
Mins Batsman Countries Venue Season
27 Mohammad Ashraful (67) Ban v Ind Mirpur 2007
28 JT Brown (140) Eng v Aus Melbourne 1894-95
29 SA Durani (61*) Ind v Eng Kanpur 1963-64
30 EAV Williams (72) WI v Eng Bridgetown 1947-48
30 BR Taylor (124) NZ v WI Auckland 1968-69
Fastest Test fifties (by balls)
Balls Batsman Countries Venue Season
24 JH Kallis (54) SA v Zim Cape Town 2004-05
26 Shahid Afridi (58) Pak v Ind Bangalore 2004-05
26 Mohammad Ashraful (67) Ban v Ind Mirpur 2007
27 Mohammad Yousuf (50) Pak v SA Cape Town 2002-03
Notes:
- Australia's VT Trumper is shown at some places with a time of 22 minutes for his fifty during his innings of 63 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1902-03. However Trumper took no less than 45 minutes for his fifty.
- Some sources show England's IT Botham with a 26-ball fifty against India at Delhi in 1981-82. Botham actually took 28 balls to do so.
