Pankaj Jaiswal creates Ranji record, smashes 50 off 16 balls

It seems this young lad has the promise to make it big in his career

By: Ankit Banerjee |
October 17, 2017 12:06 pm

Himachal Pradesh’s Pankaj Jaiswal made it to the record books by smashing a 16 ball 50. This was a Group D Ranji Trophy match played against Goa at the HPCA stadium. This also happens to be the second fastest fifty in first-class cricket in India. He is a bowling all-rounder and his primary job in the side is to bowl. He eventually fell for 63 off 20 balls. His blitzkrieg innings was studded with four boundaries and seven massive sixes.

The fastest Ranji Trophy half-century is in the name of Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandeep Singh, who took 15 balls to reach the landmark against Tripura in the 2015 season. The 22-year-old Himachal lad had the Goa bowlers at his mercy with his side sitting pretty at 541/7 when he came in to bat. It was a memorable inning that lit up the stadium and as the word of him carting the bowlers spread the crowds flocked to the stadium. He brought up the feat on the 3rd day of the match.

Himachal Pradesh finally declared at 625/7. It is a humungous score for the batting line up of Goa. Goa had scored a paltry 255 runs in the first innings.

Himachal Pradesh has made a strong statement with such a massive score. He hails from a small town in Himachal Pradesh, named Kangra. He has certainly made his small village hog the limelight thanks to his efforts.

Himachal’s Pankaj Jaiswal today scored a fifty off just 16 balls vs Goa – the second fastest 50 in Indian first-class cricket.#RanjiTrophy

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) October 16, 2017

The 22-year old seems to be on track for a bright cricket career. The youngster has played 15 First Class matches and picked up 23 wickets, this happens to be his highest score. A couple of years ago in 2015, he showed glimpses of his prowess when he slammed a 36 off merely 11 balls.