Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nadeem share the record for the slowest fifty in T20 World Cup history at 52 balls each.
Rizwan came against Canada in 2024 on New York’s nightmare pitch, while Nadeem battled alone for Oman, chasing 226 against Sri Lanka in 2026.
Slow fifties happen for three reasons: pitch conditions killing stroke-play (New York’s seam and bounce in 2024), early collapses forcing survival mode (Miller at 12/4, Suryakumar at 10/2), or pressure situations where wickets matter more than strike rates. These innings won matches, not personal milestones.
Slowest Fifties in T20 World Cup History
| Balls | Player | Fifty Score | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 50 in 52 | Canada | New York | 2024 |
| 52 | Mohammad Nadeem (OMA) | 50 in 52 | Sri Lanka | Pallekele | 2026 |
| 51 | David Miller (SA) | 50 in 51 | Netherlands | New York | 2024 |
| 49 | Devon Smith (WI) | 50 in 49 | Bangladesh | Johannesburg | 2007 |
| 49 | David Hussey (AUS) | 50 in 49 | England | Barbados | 2010 |
| 49 | Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | 50 in 49 | USA | New York | 2024 |
1. Mohammad Nadeem (50 in 52 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2026)
Oman lost both openers inside two overs chasing Sri Lanka’s 225/5 at Pallekele, where Pathum Nissanka’s 85 and Dasun Shanaka’s rapid fifty set an impossible target.
Nadeem reached fifty in 52 balls, batting alone as wickets fell around him, finishing 53* in Oman’s 120 all out. At 43 years and 161 days, he became the oldest T20 World Cup fifty-scorer, surpassing Sanath Jayasuriya. The strike rate of 94.64 reflected survival with zero support, not poor intent against a target requiring 11.3 per over.
2. Mohammad Rizwan (50 in 52 balls vs Canada, 2024)
Pakistan chased 107 at Nassau County Stadium after Canada posted 106/7, Aaron Johnson’s 52 the only resistance against Mohammad Amir (2/13).
Rizwan walked in needing to erase two straight losses, facing a pitcher whose shots died in the outfield and whose seam movement made timing unpredictable. He reached fifty in 52 balls, finishing 53* as Pakistan won by seven wickets with 15 balls left. The pitch was so bad that only 23 sixes were hit in the first 142 overs of the matches there, forcing survival over aggression.
3. David Miller (50 in 51 balls vs Netherlands, 2024)
South Africa collapsed to 12/4 at Nassau County Stadium while chasing the Netherlands’ 103, on the same pitch that had tortured batters all tournament with variable bounce.
Miller reached fifty in 51 balls, finishing 59* as South Africa scraped home by four wickets with Miller earning Player of the Match. He later said, “shots that should’ve easily gone for 4 just didn’t,” and “we tried to ground it out as much as we could.” The innings was match-winning composure, not conservatism.
4. Devon Smith (50 in 49 balls vs Bangladesh, 2007)
Smith reached fifty in 49 balls at The Wanderers during the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup, finishing 51 off 52 as West Indies posted 164/8.
The T20 strategy was still evolving in 2007, with teams building innings conservatively before accelerating late. Bangladesh chased down the target with six wickets in hand, but Smith’s knock represented an early T20 template in which survival preceded aggression, before formats became boundary-obsessed.
5. David Hussey (50 in 49 balls vs England, 2010 Final)
Australia chased 148 in the 2010 final at Kensington Oval, with Hussey reaching 50 in 49 balls after early wickets demanded stability.
He finished 59 off 54 balls with two sixes and two fours, setting up Cameron White’s late assault (30 off 19) before Australia fell short at 147/6, losing by seven runs. The fifty reflected final pressure where partnerships mattered more than personal strike rates under scoreboard tension.
6. Suryakumar Yadav (50 in 49 balls vs USA, 2024)
India slumped to 10/2 in the third over at Nassau County Stadium chasing 111, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma dismissed by Saurabh Netravalkar’s seam bowling on a pitch offering movement and low bounce.
Suryakumar reached fifty in 49 balls, the slowest by an Indian in T20 World Cup history, but his 60-run stand with Shivam Dube (31*) steadied India to 111/3 in 18.2 overs, winning by seven wickets with 10 balls left.
Also Read:
Why Slow Fifties Happen in T20 World Cups
Slow fifties in T20 World Cups reflect the necessity of match-winning, not batting failure. Three of the top six came at Nassau County Stadium in 2024, where seam, bounce, and slow outfield killed aggression.
Nadeem batted alone, chasing 226; Miller recovered from 12/4, Suryakumar steadied after losing Kohli and Rohit early. These innings prioritized team survival over personal strike rates, proving context beats stats. Every player on this list either won the match or gave their team a chance, which matters more than looking good in highlights.
