In his first match of the IPL 2026 season, Rohit Sharma, the legendary player for Mumbai Indians, surprised fans by scoring his fastest fifty in just 23 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium. Rohit, a former captain of Mumbai Indians with five IPL titles, achieved his 50th fifty-plus score in the league, making him the fourth player to do so in the tournament’s 19-year history.
This remarkable half-century is Rohit’s quickest in IPL history, surpassing his previous record of 25 balls set against Chennai Super Kings in the 2015 final at Eden Gardens. During his innings, Rohit smashed three boundaries and five sixes, showcasing his aggressive batting style against Kolkata Knight Riders.
With this feat, Rohit Sharma joins an elite group of players with 50 or more half-centuries in IPL matches. His 50th half-century in 268 IPL games places him alongside Virat Kohli (73 in 261 matches), David Warner (66 in 184), and Shikhar Dhawan (53 in 221), highlighting his consistency and class in the tournament.
After a cautious start where Rohit scored 12 runs off eight balls, he shifted gears and attacked the Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowlers aggressively. Rohit’s onslaught included multiple sixes, with memorable shots like pulling Vaibhav Arora for a maximum and lofting Varun Chakravarthy over covers, leading Mumbai Indians to a commanding 80 for no loss in the Power-play.
