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LAHORE: Hard-hitting West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer rewrote the record books in spectacular fashion during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash against Zimbabwe.
The stylish left-hander unleashed one of the most explosive innings in tournament history, hammering the fastest-ever fifty by a West Indies batsman in a T20 World Cup. Hetmyer raced to his fifty in just 19 balls, eclipsing his own previous mark of 22 balls cameo set earlier in the 2026 edition against Scotland at Eden Gardens.
Walking in at number three after the early dismissal of Brandon King, Hetmyer wasted no time asserting dominance. Facing Zimbabwe pacer Richard Ngarava, he cracked a boundary off the very first ball he encountered, a clear statement of intent.
The assault intensified in Ngarava’s third over when Hetmyer carved three consecutive boundaries sending the packed Mumbai crowd into a frenzy. Zimbabwe’s bowlers struggled to contain his fearless stroke-play as he combined brute power with exquisite timing.
In the seventh over, veteran spinner Graeme Cremer was introduced into the attack but Hetmyer showed no mercy. Two towering sixes sailed into the stands, further accelerating the West Indies innings.
The carnage peaked in the eighth over when Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza was taken apart for 20 runs. Hetmyer smashed three sixes in that over alone, dismantling any hopes of regaining control. He continued his rampage in the tenth over, dispatching Raza for another six and two blistering fours.
By the time Hetmyer reached his fifty in just 19 deliveries the damage was already monumental. He eventually compiled a breathtaking 85 off 34 balls, an innings studded with seven sixes and seven fours. His knock not only set the tempo but also demoralized the Zimbabwe bowling unit.
Although Cremer finally claimed his wicket in the 15th over, the damage had long been done. Hetmyer’s innings had propelled West Indies to a commanding position and reaffirmed his reputation as one of the most destructive T20 batsmen in world cricket.
With seven sixes in the match, Hetmyer also equalled the record for the joint-most sixes in a single T20 World Cup edition. He matched the tally of 17 sixes set by fellow West Indian powerhouse Nicholas Pooran during the 2024 tournament, a testament to the Caribbean side’s enduring six-hitting legacy.
