West Indies all-rounder Matthew Forde made history during the second ODI against Ireland on Friday, May 23, by equalling the joint-fastest fifty in ODI cricket. He reached his half-century in just 16 balls, matching AB de Villiers’ record.
The match took place at Castle Avenue, Dublin, where Ireland, after winning the toss, chose to bowl first. West Indies faced an early setback as openers Brandon King (8) and Evin Lewis (20) fell cheaply.
However, Keacy Carty, batting at number three, played a brilliant innings, scoring a century (102), while captain Shai Hope contributed an important 49 runs. In the late overs, Matthew Forde, coming in at number eight, exploded with a rapid half-century off just 16 balls. He finished with 58 runs from 19 deliveries, hitting eight sixes and two boundaries, etching his name in the record books.
Matthew Forde Matches AB de Villiers’ Record for Fastest Fifty
Matthew Forde reached his fifty in just 16 balls, equalling AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest fifty in ODI cricket. De Villiers had set the record by scoring a fifty off 16 balls during an ODI against the West Indies in January 2015. In that same match, De Villiers went on to score 149 runs off 44 balls.
| Player | Record | Balls Taken | Match Details | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Forde | Fastest ODI Fifty | 16 | Achieved fastest fifty in an ODI match | Equals AB de Villiers’ record |
| AB de Villiers | Fastest ODI Fifty (previous) | 16 | vs West Indies, January 2015 | Scored 149 runs off 44 balls in that match |
Meanwhile, Matthew Forde played a key role in helping the visitors post a strong total of 352/8 in the first innings. For Ireland, Liam McCarthy took three wickets, while Barry McCarthy and Joshua Little claimed two wickets each. Despite their efforts, the West Indies batsmen’s excellent teamwork ensured they put up a massive score.
