Ankon hits fastest half-century by a Bangladeshi in BPL

Mahidul Islam Ankon smashed the fastest half-century by a Bangladesh player in Bangladesh Premier League history to set up a 37-run win for the Khulna Titans against the Chittagong Kings in Mirpur on Tuesday.  

Ankon reached his half-century in 18 balls, one less than Rony Talukdar who took 19 balls to score his fifty for Rangpur Riders against Comilla Victorians in 2023. The right-handed batter smacked six maximums and one boundary in an unbeaten 22-ball 59-run blitz that propelled Khulna to 203-4.

Khulna bundled out Chittagong for 166 to register their first win of the tournament.

West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine holds the record for the fastest BPL half-century. The left-handed batter smashed a 13-ball fifty against Chattogram Challengers in 2022. Pakistan's Ahmed Shehzad sits second on that list with a 16-ball half-century that he notched up against Duronto Rajshahi while playing for Barishal Burners in 2012. Two others – England's Will Jacks and Sri Lanka's Seekuge Prasanna –- have scored 18-ball fifties before. Jacks who played for Chattogram Challengers did it against Sylhet Sunrisers in 2022, while Prasanna did it for Dhaka Dynamites against Khulna Titans 2016-17.