Cummins slams fastest Aussie fifty ever in IPL stunner

Pat Cummins has amazed everyone - not least himself - with one of the great whirlwind Indian Premier League knocks.

Australia's Test captain has been retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders as their star overseas paceman but in Pune on Wednesday, he morphed into a demon hitter who equalled the record for the fastest fifty ever seen in the IPL.

With a match-winning innings of astonishing clean hitting, Cummins smacked 34 off just one seven-ball over from his compatriot Daniel Sams to win the match with four overs to spare.

"I think I'm probably the most surprised bloke here," he laughed.

In all, Cummins, playing his first match for KKR this season, smashed an unbeaten 56 off just 15 balls, with six sixes and four fours - at a strike rate of 373.33 - to power the Knight Riders to a five-wicket victory over shell-shocked Mumbai Indians.

Image Id: 2F515D15836C4B5F8B9ADD6BD1399417 Image Caption: Cummins slammed six sixes in his innings // BCCI-Sportzpics

He reached his fifty in just 14 balls, equalling the all-time record for fastest fifty in the IPL by KL Rahul in 2018, and then cracked the next ball back over Sams' head for six to win the match.

It's the fastest fifty ever by an Australian in men's T20 cricket and two balls short of the all-time record of 12 balls, which is held by Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle and Hazratullah Zazai.

Sams was clobbered by Cummins for 6, 4, 6, 6, 2 (no-ball), 4, 6 in that fateful last over, which went for 35 runs in total.

Off the fifth ball, Cummins did get caught at long off from Sams' waist-high beamer but he got a reprieve when it was ruled a high no-ball, which cost Mumbai three runs.

The Knight Riders had needed 35 from 30 balls and Cummins got them all in just that one over, with his final blow allowing them to breeze to their victory target with a score of 5-162.

His heroics came after Cummins also did what he's largely paid for, taking the valuable wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan when Mumbai batted and made 4-161.

Image Id: 450FFEF9F813451F8AEF8E57F869E182 Image Caption: Fellow Aussie Daniel Sams copped the brunt of Cummins's innings // BCCI-Sportzpics

It wasn't just Sams who got the treatment from Cummins. He also smashed sixes off two formidable pacemen, Jasprit Bumrah and Tymal Mills. 

"I think I'm probably at my best when I don't think too much. I just swing hard and tonight it just came off. Don't try to overthink it," smiled Cummins.

The right-hander has hit a couple of IPL fifties before, but he said this was easily his favourite.

"That's really satisfying, first game here, it means we're now three wins from four," he said.

"At Pune, the ball seems to fly here a bit. It's got a short side so just I tried to attack the short side."

The Australian captain added he's bound to get some stick now from his Test teammates.

Image Id: 78F24B54A8AF4262A15A0A7075835C33 Image Caption: Cummins made Australian T20 history in Pune // BCCI-Sportzpics

"I'm sure I'll get some messages about my Test match batting where I can hardly get it off the square," he laughed.

His KKR captain Shreyas Iyer was simply amazed by the ball striking.

"I was just watching the ball fly," he said.

"I couldn't believe it the way he was striking the ball, especially because yesterday when I was watching him in the nets, he was getting bowled every now and then. An outstanding performance."

Venkatesh Iyer made a less explosive 50 not out off 41 balls in Kolkata's third win this season, which puts them top of the IPL table.

Fastest fifties in men's T20 cricket by Australians

14 balls – Pat Cummins, Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians, 2022

15 balls – Daniel Christian, Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers, 2020

16 balls – Daniel Christian, Notts v Leicestershire, 2016

17 balls – Adam Gilchrist, Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils, 2009

18 balls – Andrew Symonds, Kent v Middlesex, 2004

18 balls – David Warner, NSW v Tasmania, 2009

18 balls – David Warner, Australia v West Indies, 2010

18 balls – Glenn Maxwell, Australia v Pakistan, 2014

18 balls – Tim Ludeman, Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Stars, 2014

18 balls – Chris Lynn, Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes, 2015

18 balls – Tim David, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, 2022