Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka has clubbed the fastest fifty in the history of T20Is for Sri Lanka. Despite enduring a lean patch, the all-rounder has chosen a superb stage to script his name in the history books as he upstages his own record. Shanaka took just 19 balls to complete his fifty in the Sri Lanka vs Oman T20 World Cup 2026 game.
Dasun Shanaka powers Sri Lanka vs Oman
After being put to bat first in the first T20 World Cup 2026 game in Pallekele, Sri Lanka struggled to find rhythm initially. They were 42/2 at one point, losing both Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka (13) early. But then came a match-changing partnership between Kusal Mendis (61 off 45) and Pavan Rathnayake (60 off 28) of 94 runs in just 50 balls. Some incredible hitting by Rathnayake, who despite having an unorthodox stance, made runs with absolute orthodoxy.
He got his fifty in 24 balls, becoming the second-fastest to achieve the feat in T20 World Cups after Mahela Jayawardene’s 21-ball fifty in 2007. But little did anyone know that Rathnayake would soon drop to number three on the list. Shanaka took six off his first six balls. He came in when the momentum was on SL’s side. They were 146/3 in 15 overs and Shanaka only had one job to do.
The Lankan captain did it in the best way possible. Getting back and across to set a strong base, Shanaka hit every out of the park in the last 5 overs. In his next 13 balls, the 34-year-old hammered 44 runs. In a span of 10 balls in his innings, he clubbed two fours and as many as five sixes to enthral the Pallekele crowd.
Fastest T20I fifty for Sri Lanka
| Player | Balls | Match | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dasun Shanaka | 19 | Sri Lanka vs Oman | Pallekele | 12 Feb, 2026 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 20 | Sri Lanka vs India | Pune | 4 Jan, 2023 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 21 | Sri Lanka vs Kenya | Johannesburg | 14 Sept, 2007 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 21 | Sri Lanka vs India | Nagpur | 9 Dec, 2009 |
Getting to his fifty in just 19 balls, Shanaka broke his own record for the fastest half-century in T20I history for his nation. Back in 2023 against India, Shanaka made a 20-ball fifty in Pune. Mahela Jayawerdene’s 21-ball fifty now becomes the 2nd fastest fifty by a Sri Lankan in T20 World Cups history as well.
