Watch: Chris Jordan hits 17-ball fifty in BBL 2023-24, joins Chris Gayle in elite club
Chris Jordan, on Wednesday, December 20, smashed the joint fourth-fastest fifty in the history of the Big Bash League (BBL). Playing for the Hobart Hurricanes, Jordan scored his half-century off 17 balls against the Perth Scorchers at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest fifty off 12 balls back in 2016. Daniel Christian and Tom Banton scored half-centuries off 15 and 16 balls respectively in the 2020 edition of the T20 league.
Apart from Jordan, Ben Cutting (2019) and Nicholas Pooran (2020) also hit fifties off 17 balls. Tim Ludeman, Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum hold the fifth spot with half-centuries off 18 deliveries.
Jordan went after the bowling right from the word go and scored 59 runs off 20 balls with six fours and five sixes. En route to his knock, he racked up the third-highest score for a batter at No.8 or below in BBL history.
Apart from that, Jordan ended with the third highest strike-rate of 295 for batters with a 50 plus score. Gayle and Christian hold the top two spots.
On the back of Jordan’s knock, the Hurricanes scored 172 for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. Jordan helped the Hurricanes recover after they were reduced to 47 for five in 7.4 overs.
Jordan was also involved in a partnership of 65 runs for the eighth wicket with Mitchell Owen, who made a vital 28 off 22 balls. Apart from Jordan and Owen, Nikhil Chaudhary scored 40 runs off 31 balls with six fours.