Top 10 Fastest Fifties in Test Cricket - Updated 2025

Test cricket has seen considerable changes in recent years. Previously, players thought of drawing the Test match rather than winning it; now, the format has seen a rise in aggressive intent, particularly from batters. With the rise of modern attacking techniques and fearless mindsets, even the longest format of the game is being played at a much faster pace. Unlike the white-ball formats, Test cricket still favours bowlers due to the red ball's ability to swing, seam, and deteriorate over time.

Conditions vary greatly across five days, and pitches often assist spin and reverse swing as the match progresses. Despite these challenges, batters have adapted remarkably. Scoring rates have improved, and chasing 250+ in the fourth innings is no longer considered impossible. As Test cricket retains its classical essence, the blend of patience and controlled aggression has become the new benchmark. Scoring fast hundreds and fifties has been easier in today's modern-day Test matches. Here in this article, we take a look at the top 10 cricketers with the fastest fifty in Test cricket.

How We Have Ranked Fastest Fifties

To determine the Top 10 cricketers with the fastest fifties in test cricket, we have taken the fewest balls taken to score the fastest fifty in Test cricket, the easiest and primary factor.

• Fewest balls taken: The easiest and primary factor in ranking the fastest fifties in Test cricket is the number of balls faced to reach the half-century. In a format traditionally known for patience and endurance, reaching fifty in a minimal number of deliveries is a rare and exciting feat.
• Runs scored after fifty: If there's a tie in the fastest fifty in Test cricket with the ranking factor fewest balls taken. Then we have looked at the most runs scored after scoring the fastest fifty in Test cricket.

List of the Top 10 Cricketers with Fastest Fifties In Test Cricket

Even though Test cricket is usually slow and long, however, there are many incidents when a battle scores quick half-centuries, making the game exciting. It also changes the match quickly and gives energy to the game. These fast fifties show that Test cricket is not only about being patient but can also be fun and fast.

Who has scored Fastest Fifties In Test Cricket?

Test cricket, often regarded as the most traditional and challenging format of the game. Among these feats, one of the most thrilling is the fastest fifty, scoring 50 runs in the fewest number of balls. Unlike in T20Is or ODIs, where fast scoring is common, doing so in Tests demands immense skill as the red ball is swinging, spinning, or changing conditions requires a lot of courage. Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has the record for scoring the fastest half-century in a Test in the fewest number of balls.

10. Chris Gayle | 28 balls vs New Zealand

Chris Gayle is known as the ‘Universe Boss’. The former West Indies opener was known for his aggressive batting style and was a nightmare for any bowler. He has the record for smashing the most hundreds in the T20 format of the game. He has 22 hundred in his career. This showcases his destructive batting approach. Gayle, with his big, muscular biceps, used to hit humongous sixes without any problems.

But apart from hitting sixes and scoring hundreds in limited limited-overs format. The Big Man from Jamaica also has a sensational record in Test cricket. He has scored the highest individual score by a West Indies opener. He has scored 333 runs in the longest format of the game. He also holds the record for scoring the fastest half century in Test cricket. He did in 28 balls against New Zealand and ended with a score of 80 runs off 46 deliveries.

9. Mohammad Yousuf | 27 balls vs South Africa

Mohammad Yousuf changed his name from Yousuf Youhana. He was one of the finest batters for Pakistan in Test cricket. His ability to bat as long and play big innings. Before his conversion to Islam, he was one of the few Christians to play for the Pakistan national cricket team. The middle-order batter scored 1,788 runs in 2006, which is a world record for most runs scored in a year in Tests at an average of 99.33. This was arguably his best year of his career.

Mohammad Yousuf has scored 7530 runs for Pakistan at an amazing average of 52.29. Despite being known for his patience and playing long innings. He came out of his style and scored a fifty of just 27 deliveries against South Africa in 2003. This has been recorded as the third fastest fifty in Test cricket by any Pakistani batter.

8. Shahid Afridi | 26 balls vs India

Shahid Afridi proved to be a nightmare for the bowlers. Despite starting his career as an opener, he was later shifted down to the middle order, where he was more comfortable, and his small cameos and explosive batting prowess helped Pakistan to win games. He remained a solid striker of the ball throughout his career. Most of the fans remember him for his fiery knocks in limited limited-overs format.

But he played a sensational knock against India in the 2005 tour. The former Pakistan scored a 26-ball fifty against the Men in Blue in Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the red ball format of the game. This demonstrated in his career that his striking ability is not limited only to white ball cricket, but he is a fiery batter in Test cricket as well. This makes him the third Pakistani batter to score the fastest fifty in Test with the fewest balls taken.

7. Dale Steyn | 26 balls vs West Indies

Dale Steyn, one of the most fearsome fast bowlers in world cricket, left an indelible mark during his stint in international cricket. He was one of the finest bowlers with the red ball and could swing the ball both ways, and also created problems for the batters in limited-overs cricket. Steyn showcased his aggression and discipline with line and length across formats for the Rainbow Nation.

But Dale Steyn also has a record with his bat. He turned the tables with the bat during the Boxing Day Test against the West Indies in Port Elizabeth in 2014. In what was one of the most unexpected but exciting innings from a tailender. Steyn smashed a half-century in just 26 balls, etching his name among the fastest fifties in Test history. He is the only bowler to have been named in this elite list of batters to score fastest fifties in Test cricket.

6. Mohammad Ashraful | 26 balls vs India

Mohammad Ashraful started his career at the age of 17. He had become the youngest player ever to score a Test ton. He was one of the best talents of Bangladesh, but could not live up to the expectations. His talent was wasted due to the early fame, he got distracted from his cricketing lifestyle. He captained Bangladesh as well. But in 2014, he was banned for eight years after he was found guilty of match fixing. The ban was later reduced to 5 years with 2 years suspended.

After that, he never returned to international cricket. However, Ashraful has scored the fastest fifty in Test and ODI for any Bangladeshi cricketer. He also ranks in the 6th position for scoring the fastest fifty in Test history. The fastest half century in Test came against India, in a dead match which India had already made it home. During a follow-on, he scored a half-century of just 26 balls.

5. Shane Shillingford | 25 balls vs New Zealand

Shane Shillingford, despite his good domestic performances, came in on the side in 2010. He played in three matches in the series against South Africa. But he had struck with controversies as his action was deemed illegal. He underwent remedial work and worked his way back into the side for the Bangladesh tour in 2011. In the series' first six Tests fetched 18 wickets.

The off-spinner made headlines during a game against New Zealand in Kingston. He did the impossible as he scored 53 runs as a no.11 batter. In that inning, he scored the fastest fifty by a West Indies batter in test cricket. He smashed a fastest fifty in just 25 balls. However, his international career did not last long, and soon he was dropped from the side.

4. Jacques Kallis | 24 balls vs Zimbabwe

Jacques Kallis is the greatest South African player. He was underrated and did not get the fame he should have gotten. He is the only Protea cricketer in the history of the game to score more than 10,000 runs and take over 250 wickets in both ODI and Test match cricket. He holds the record for most Test centuries by a South African. Kallis has also been a sensational bowler.

The star all-rounder from South Africa has the record for hitting the 6th most sixes in Test cricket. However, he yet again made a record against Zimbabwe. He scored the fastest 50 in Test cricket. He reached his fifty in just 24 balls. This explosive innings was completely out of character for someone known for his calm and composed batting style.

3. Ben Stokes | 24 balls vs West Indies

Ben Stokes is one of the most dynamic all-rounders in modern-day cricket. Stokes' match-winning knock during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he scored a heroic unbeaten 84 in the final against New Zealand, helped England secure their first-ever World Cup title in a dramatic Super Over finish. In the same year, his breathtaking 135* at the 3rd Test at Headingley in the Ashes series helped England to secure a 2-2 draw in the 5-match series.

Stokes has changed the dynamics of Test cricket, along with England's head coach Brendon McCullum, who started a new dawn of playing cricket in the game's traditional format. They play aggressive cricketing shots and score as many runs as possible in Test cricket. One such innings of Ben Stokes came in the game against West Indies as he opened the innings alongside Ben Duckett and scored the fastest fifty in Test cricket. He scored in 24 balls and ended up scoring 57 runs

2. David Warner | 23 balls vs Pakistan

David Warner was one of the most explosive openers of his era. He had been a consistent performer for the Kangaroos in all three formats of the game. Warner retired from all forms of cricket back in 2024. He won the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 for the Aussies. The Southpaw is one of Australia’s leading run-scorers in ODIs. He has also been the best overseas batter in the IPL.

Warner retired from international cricket in 2024 after the T20 World Cup 2024. In January, he retired from the longest format of the game. He has been exceptional as an opener in red ball as well. The Southpaw has the record for scoring the fastest half-century in the Test. He smashed a half-century against Pakistan in 2017 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. This demonstrated his career across formats for the Aussies, and he has been a legend of the game.

1. Misbah-ul-Haq | 21 balls vs Australia

Misbah-ul-Haq has been one of the finest Pakistani cricketers. He captained Pakistan in all formats and is a former head coach and former chief selector of the Pakistan national team. He helped the Men in Green to win the 2012 Asia Cup and was a member of the team that won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. Misbah's talent was not limited only to white ball cricket, but he has been an amazing red ball player for the country as well.

In 2014, he made a Test century off 56 deliveries against Australia in Abu Dhabi, equaling the fastest one of that time by Viv Richards. In this innings, he scored the fastest fifty in Test cricket in just 21 balls. Misbah scored a century against England at Lord's and became the oldest cricketer to score a Test century. He achieved the milestone in 2016. Misbah also became the oldest captain ever to score a Test century, at the age of 42 years and 2 months.

Which other Cricketers have scored Fastest Fifties In Test Cricket?

Many players also scored fastest fifties in Test cricket, but they weren't able to make it into the top 10 list. Here is a list of the top 5 players who miss The top 10 chart of fastest 5o in Test cricket.

5. Tim Southee (29 balls, vs England)

Tim Southee has been known for his exceptional outswing bowling. Over a 16-year Test career, Southee played 107 matches, claiming 391 wickets at an average of 30.26, making him New Zealand's second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, behind Sir Richard Hadlee. Southee has been a name that has been shocking in the list, with him being the lower-order batter who has smashed the 4th most sixes in test cricket. He also has another record with the bat. He is the only Kiwi cricketer to smash the fastest fifty in terms of balls taken. Southee has smashed the fastest fifty in Test cricket in just 29 balls.

4. Rishabh Pant | 28 balls vs Sri Lanka

Rishabh Pant has established himself as the match-winner for India across formats. He has been one of the finest middle-order batters for India in the red-ball format in recent times. He is the highest-paid IPL player in the history of the tournament. The aggressive left-handed batter was crucial in India’s many Test victories in SENA countries. He is the first Indian wicket-keeper batsman to score a Test century in all SENA countries.

Pant's journey in cricket has been inspirational. Pant’s innings of 89 not out at the Gabba in 2021 is still regarded as one of the finest in Indian Test history, helping India secure a historic series win in Australia. He has the record for the fastest fifty in Test cricket by an Indian. The flamboyant wicket-keeper batter has scored a fifty off 28 balls.

3. Sir Ian Botham | 28 balls vs India

Sir Ian Botham has been one of the finest English cricketers of all time. He was a part of England's team that finished twice as runners-up at the 1979 Cricket World Cup and the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Botham was an aggressive right-handed batsman and, as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, was noted for his swing bowling. One of his aggressive batting approaches was seen in Delhi in the game against India. Here he smashed the fastest fifty in just 28 balls.

2. Colin de Grandhomme | 28 balls vs Sri Lanka

Colin de Grandhomme has been an explosive all-rounder for New Zealand. He has showcased his prowess mainly in the limited-overs format of the game. He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He was highly rated by New Zealand cricket for his explosive, aggressive batting abilities and medium pace bowling as well. He showed his batting prowess in a Test match as well, scoring the fastest fifty in Test cricket. He did it in 28 balls.

1. E.A.V. Williams | 28 balls vs England

E.A.V. Williams, better known as Foffie Williams, played only four Test matches for West Indies. But among those four matches, he made his impact in the traditional format of the game. He was the first batter to score the fastest 50 in Test cricket in terms of balls taken. He scored the half-century in just 28 balls.