Starting with a bang: Fastest 50 on World Cup debut

Playing in the World Cup is one of the primary goals for any player in any sport. The T20 format has taken the cricket world by storm but ODI cricket still garners a lot of respect. The first ODI World Cup was played in 1975 and currently, the 13th edition of the marquee event is being played in India.

A lot of records are being broken in the ongoing edition of the tournament in the cricket-crazy nation. Aiden Markram scored the fastest century in the history of the competition only to see Glenn Maxwell bettering it a few matches later. Netherlands all-rounder Bas de Leede also registered an unwanted record of conceding the most number of runs in an ODI. However, in this article, we will take a look at the fastest half-century scored by a batter on his ODI World Cup debut.

Travis Head scores scintillating half-century off 25 balls to shatter records In Australia’s World Cup game against New Zealand in Dharamsala on October 28, Head needed just 25 balls to score his fifty, the fastest by a World Cup debutant. The previous fastest in the category was by Rilee Rossouw – 31 balls against West Indies in the 2015 edition. Head’s effort is also the joint-second fastest fifty for Australia in the World Cup overall, behind Glenn Maxwell’s 21-ball half-century against Afghanistan in 2015.

Head fractured his left hand during an ODI series against South Africa prior to the World Cup and missed the first five matches in the 10-team tournament but made his return from injury a memorable affair as he scored 109 off 67 balls on an exceptional batting wicket. He hit 10 fours and seven sixes during his whirlwind knock. Australia posted 388 while batting first and the Kiwis fell short of the total by five runs. Head was fittingly adjudged Player of the Match.