Afghanistan batsman Hazratullah Zazai on Sunday made history, equalling Yuvraj Singh and Chris Gayle’s record of registering the fastest fifty in Twenty20 cricket, getting to the landmark in just 12 deliveries. Zazai was representing Afghanistan Premier League side Kabul Zwanan, who were playing against Balkh Legends in Sharjah.
In what might bear an eerie similarity to Yuvraj’s feat in the 2007 World T20, Zazai also clubbed six sixes in an over with left-arm spinner Abdullah Mazari bearing the brunt of the left-hander’s big-hitting pyrotechnics.
The left-hander smashed 62 from just 17 balls, which included seven sixes, but that was still not enough to take his side to victory. Zwanan, who were chasing a mammoth target of 245, fell short by 21 runs.
A precursor to the burly 20-year-old Zazai record-equalling feat was his belligerent 55-ball 124 against Nangarhar Leopards, helping Zwanan chase down a 189-run target with consummate ease, taking the likes of Mujeeb Ur Zadran and Mitchell McClenaghan to the cleaners. On Sunday, Zazai had Gayle watching at the other end. As it turned out, it was the West Indies veteran’s effort of 80 that stood between Zwanan chasing down a record score.
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