Records fell like dominoes in Surat on Sunday when Meghalaya’s Akash Kumar Choudhary bludgeoned his way into cricketing folklore with the fastest-ever fifty in First-Class history, a jaw-dropping 11-ball half-century against Arunachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group.
The 25-year-old right-hander arrived at No. 8 with Meghalaya cruising at 576 for six and immediately tore into the bowling.
What followed was a sight seldom witnessed in red-ball cricket: eight consecutive sixes, including an over where Limar Dabi was dispatched for six hits in six balls.
By the time Meghalaya declared at 628 for six, Akash had rocketed to 50 off just 14 deliveries, rewriting record books and redefining what’s possible in the game’s longest format.
His feat eclipsed England’s Wayne White’s 12-ball fifty for Leicestershire in 2012 and smashed the Indian record held by Bandeep Singh (15 balls for Jammu & Kashmir).
Hailing from Meghalaya, Akash made his First-Class debut in 2019 against Nagaland and also features regularly in the state’s List-A and T20 sides.
Though his career had been modest, just two fifties in ten innings before this, signs of resurgence were evident after a solid knock against Bihar in the previous match.
A record that transcends boundaries
Akash’s 11-ball blitz now stands as the fastest fifty ever in First-Class cricket worldwide, across all domestic and international formats — faster than any knock recorded in England, Pakistan, or South Africa.
The Ranji Trophy’s Plate Group, often overlooked, suddenly found itself in the global spotlight.
In a season already filled with extraordinary stories, including Bihar’s teenage debutant Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Goa’s 606-run partnership, Akash’s knock has become the crown jewel.
If that wasn’t enough, Akash also opened the bowling and struck early, capping what was undoubtedly the finest day of his cricketing life.
Arunachal Pradesh, trailing by 593 runs, were left with little to chase but his memory.