2nd match, KXIP vs DD – KL Rahul smashed fastest IPL fifty

During the second match of the 11th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Daredevils at Mohali, Lokesh Rahul scored the fastest IPL half-century (off 14 balls). Chasing 167 runs to win the match, Rahul started the innings for Kings XI Punjab in the best possible manner.

Opening the batting with Mayank Agarwal, Rahul did not waste any time at all in punishing the opposition’s bowlers. He scored 16 runs off the first over of the innings being bowled by Trent Boult.  The next over bowled by Mohammad Shami saw Rahul hitting his India teammate for a six and a four through the leg side. By the end of the second over, Rahul had scored 27 (9).

Gautam Gambhir, captain of Delhi Daredevils, introduced spin in the form of Amit Mishra in the following over. Rahul hit the veteran bowler for 24 runs. Rahul showed no mercy for Mishra as he stepped out to hit the penultimate ball of the over for a four through the mid-on region. With this shot, Rahul brought up his fifth IPL half-century, the fastest of them all.

Rahul’s blitz eventually came to an end in the following over when he top-edged a Trent Boult delivery to Amit Mishra at short third-man. He ended up scoring 51 (16) with the help of six fours and four sixes.