In a thrilling encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Ishan Kishan rewrote history on February 15 during the T20 World Cup 2026 clash between India and Pakistan. The young left-handed opener blazed his way to the fastest fifty by an Indian against Pakistan in the tournament, reaching the milestone in just 27 balls. This explosive knock shattered the previous record held by Pakistan’s Iftikhar Ahmed, who had scored a fifty off 32 balls against India in 2022.
Kishan’s aggressive batting set the tone for India’s dominant performance. He faced 40 balls in total, hammering 77 runs with 10 fours and 3 sixes. This not only propelled India to a strong position but also elevated him to the fourth spot among highest individual scorers in India-Pakistan T20 encounters. Leading the chart is Virat Kohli with an unbeaten 82 in Melbourne back in 2022, followed by Mohammad Rizwan’s 79 not out in 2021 and Kohli’s 78 not out from 2012.
The record list for quickest fifties in T20 World Cup India-Pakistan games now reads: Ishan Kishan (27 balls), Iftikhar Ahmed (32), Misbah-ul-Haq (33 in 2017), Virat Kohli (34 in 2016), and Gautam Gambhir (38 in 2007). Stepping beyond the World Cup, Mohammad Hafeez holds the overall fastest with 23 balls in 2012, followed by Abhishek in 2025 off 24 balls, with Kishan now third.
India’s campaign in T20 World Cup 2026 has been flawless so far, securing victories in both opening matches and topping the points table with a net run rate of +3.050. Pakistan, despite two wins, trails in second place with +0.932. Kishan’s ‘Operation White Ball’ has ignited hopes of another memorable chapter in this iconic rivalry, leaving fans buzzing about India’s firepower.