Matthew Ford Equals Fastest ODI Fifty Record with Brutal 16-Ball Blitz, Smashes 8 Sixes

While Indian cricket fans are engrossed in IPL action, a young West Indies batter has quietly made history on the international stage. 23-year-old Matthew Ford stunned the cricket world by smashing a 50 in just 16 balls against Ireland, equaling AB de Villiers’ legendary record for the fastest half-century in ODI history.

The record, originally set by de Villiers in 2015 against the West Indies, stood unchallenged for nearly a decade. But on Friday, during the second ODI between West Indies and Ireland, Ford matched it in jaw-dropping fashion—blasting 8 sixes and 2 fours in an explosive 19-ball innings of 58 runs.

Ford began with intent, launching a six off Barry McCarthy’s second delivery. He then tore into Josh Little, hammering four sixes in a single over, and followed up with a four and six off Thomas Mayes in the next. At one point, he was on 42 off just 13 balls and within striking distance of breaking de Villiers’ record outright. A rare dot ball halted that chance—but back-to-back sixes over long-off and cover sealed his place in the record books.

Boundary Blitz:

• 58 runs in 19 balls
• 8 sixes, 2 fours
• 96.55% of his runs came from boundaries — the highest ever for any ODI score above 50, surpassing Andre Fletcher’s 96.15% from 2009.

Despite Ford’s fireworks and Casey Carty’s steady century (102), the match ended in a draw as rain washed out Ireland’s innings before a single ball was bowled.

Ford’s performance not only equaled a world record but also served as a reminder of the explosive talent emerging from the Caribbean—hinting that West Indies cricket may be gearing up for a power-packed resurgence on the global stage.