Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Akram created history in the National T20 Cup Qualifiers by scoring a 13-ball half-century, the fastest by a Pakistani player.
Playing for Bahawalpur against Hyderabad at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, the 24-year-old opened the innings in a chase of 112 runs. Akram reached his fifty in just 13 balls and completed a 15-ball half-century overall. His explosive batting powered Bahawalpur to victory in only 9.3 overs.
Akram combined with Mohammad Sudais to build a 77-run opening partnership off just 29 deliveries. This gave Bahawalpur a strong advantage early in the chase. Hyderabad, batting first, struggled from the start and lost both openers by the fourth over, scoring only six runs. They ended the powerplay at 16-4.
Hyderabad captain Rizwan Mehmood tried to stabilize the innings with 56 runs off 51 balls. He added a 39-run partnership with Daniyal Hussain and a 30-run stand with Jawad Ali, helping Hyderabad reach 111-8. Despite their efforts, the chase was dominated by Akram’s aggressive batting.
Starting with a single in the first over, Akram attacked Mustafa Nasir in the second over, hitting four boundaries and a six. He continued his assault with three sixes and a four off Mohammad Hasnain and brought up his fifty with a boundary and a single against Noman Ali.
His innings included six fours, four sixes, two singles, and only two dot balls. Although eventually dismissed by Shehryar Baloch, Akram had already secured a comfortable win for Bahawalpur.
Mohammad Akram’s 13-ball fifty broke the previous Pakistani record of 14 balls, set by Imran Nazir in 2005. This is also the joint-seventh fastest fifty in T20 cricket history.
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Akram’s performance has made him one of the most exciting young batters in the National T20 Cup, showcasing Pakistan’s talent in fast-paced T20 cricket.
