Virat Kohli‘s half-century in the final of the 2024 Men’s T20I World Cup against South Africa was one of the slowest by an Indian batsman in T20Is. Despite this, his innings was crucial as it helped India recover from early setbacks to post a competitive total.
This performance played a significant role in India ending their ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup 2024. Indian batsmen are widely recognized for their remarkable records globally. However, there are also certain undesirable records held by some of India’s greatest batsmen.
T20 cricket is renowned for its fast-paced nature. In contemporary times, batting-friendly conditions have often allowed batsmen to score rapidly and heavily, frequently dominating bowlers.
However, there have been numerous occasions in T20I cricket where batsmen have taken unusually longer periods to accumulate runs. This is generally deemed unacceptable in modern-day cricket.
There could be several reasons for this, such as losing early wickets, slow pitches, challenging conditions, or a strategic approach to taking the game deep. Here are the 5 Slowest Half-Centuries Scored By An Indian:
#1 Gautam Gambhir, BAN vs IND, 2009
India played against Bangladesh in the fourth Group A match of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 in Nottingham.
Batting first, India set a winning total of 180/5. Gautam Gambhir was the top scorer with a half-century off 46 balls, reaching his fifty in 44 deliveries. His innings featured four boundaries. India successfully defended their total, limiting Bangladesh to 155/8 and securing a 25-run victory.
#2 Virat Kohli, SA vs IND, 2024
Virat Kohli’s fifty off 48 balls in the final of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 ranks fourth on this list. With India losing early wickets including those of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav, Kohli took responsibility to utilize his experience.
He played a crucial innings, scoring 76 runs from 59 balls after initially taking his time to settle in. India successfully defended their total, restricting South Africa and winning by seven runs to end an 11-year ICC trophy drought. Virat Kohli received the Player of the Match award for his outstanding performance.
#3 Suryakumar Yadav, USA vs IND, 2024
Suryakumar Yadav’s undefeated half-century from 49 balls secures the third spot on this list. In their Group A match of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in New York, India restricted the USA to 110/8 after bowling first.
Despite early dismissals of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant during a challenging chase, Suryakumar Yadav displayed resilience with his gritty fifty. His innings ensured India crossed the finish line against a promising USA bowling attack.
India achieved victory with seven wickets in hand, reaching the target in 18.2 overs with 10 balls to spare. Known for his aggressive stroke play, this innings by Suryakumar Yadav was atypical for T20 format, showcasing his capability to anchor an innings effectively.
#4 Gautam Gambhir, AUS vs IND, 2012
At number two on the list, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir makes another appearance. This occurred during the second T20I of the series between Australia and India, held on February 3, 2012, in Melbourne.
Australia batted first and were dismissed for just 131 runs in 20 overs, with Praveen Kumar and Rahul Sharma each taking two wickets for India. India began their chase steadily but lost Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli early on.
Nevertheless, Gambhir anchored the innings sensibly, reaching his fifty from 54 deliveries. The prolific left-hander remained unbeaten on 56 from 60 balls as India secured victory by eight wickets in the final over.
#5 KL Rahul, IND vs SA, 2022
KL Rahul holds the unfortunate distinction of recording the slowest T20I fifty by an Indian batsman. This occurred during the opening match of the three-game series against South Africa at Thiruvananthapuram in 2022.
India opted to bowl first and limited South Africa to 106/8. The pitch conditions made batting challenging, evident as India managed only 17 runs in the initial six overs of their chase.
Despite facing difficulties throughout his innings, Rahul eventually hit a six that helped India secure victory by eight wickets. His boundary also propelled him past the 50-run mark, finishing unbeaten on 51 from 56 deliveries.
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