Watch: Ajinkya Rahane smashed the fastest fifty of IPL 2023 so far today (April 8) as he made his debut for Chennai Super Kings, three years after his last IPL half-century.
Rahane came into the Super Kings side off the back of several changes to their starting XI. He found himself at the crease early in the run chase, Devon Conway having been bowled by Jason Behrendorff in the first over of the innings.
After settling himself for his first six balls, Rahane hit the first of his boundaries off Behrendorff’s following over, pulling over deep fine leg for a maximum. But it was off Arshad Khan’s second over that Rahane really got going.
He pulled the first ball of Arshad’s over through the same area he had picked up his first six four balls before, helping a leg-side delivery on its way to the fine leg boundary. The next ball was short and wide and Rahane capitalised to pick up a four through point.
Now with his eye well in, the next ball disappeared past the third man fielder and down to the rope once more. Arshad served up yet another short ball with his fourth delivery, which Rahane scorched through the off-side and straight to the cover boundary.
He made it five consecutive boundaries with a straight drive back past the bowler and through mid-off. Arshad had overcompensated with his length and bowled too full in the slot, allowing Rahane to carry on his blitz.
With all eyes now on whether it would be a full quota of six boundaries in the over, Rahane only managed a single off the final ball which he dabbed to the point fielder.
Rahane went on to reach fifty off 19-balls, the fastest so far in this year’s competition. He hadn’t scored a half-century before his knock today since he represented Delhi Capitals in 2020. Rahane was bought by Chennai Super Kings for INR 50 lakh in the IPL auction earlier this year.
