Extraordinary scenes unfolded at Castle Avenue in Dublin as West Indies’ Matthew Forde smashed the fastest fifty in ODI history, equalling AB de Villiers as he got to the landmark in just 16 balls.
In the second ODI between West Indies and Ireland, Forde walked in with the side placed at 246/6 in 43.1 overs.
In one of the most extraordinary onslaughts in ODI history, the right-hander went 1 6 0 0 0 6 0 6 6 6 4 6 1 0 6 6 off his first 16 balls to notch up the joint-fastest fifty in the format’s history.
Fastest fifty in ODIs
16 balls – AB de Villiers vs WI, Johannesburg, 2016
16 balls – Matthew Forde vs IRE, Dublin, 2025
17 balls – Sanath Jayasuriya vs PAK, Singapore, 1996
17 balls – Kusal Perera vs PAK, Pallekele, 2015
17 balls – Martin Guptill vs SL, Christchurch, 2015
Incredibly enough, by the time Forde departed (46.5 overs), West Indies’ score read 314/7.
On the day, Forde took a liking to Joshua Little, who he thumped for four sixes in a single over (45th over). Overall, the 23-year-old hammered eight sixes as 56 of his 58 runs on the day came through boundaries.
Thanks to Forde’s onslaught, the Windies ended up with 352/8 in their 50 overs.
Earlier, a century from Keacy Carty (102) set the platform for Forde and others to launch and put Ireland’s bowling to the sword.