England made headlines on Thursday during the second Test against West Indies by smashing the Test record for the fastest team fifty, reaching the milestone in just 26 balls (4.2 overs). Sent in to bat by West Indies, England's explosive start surpassed their previous record of a 27-ball fifty set against South Africa at The Oval in 1994.
Opening batsmen Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope led the charge with a blistering partnership, despite Zak Crawley's early dismissal for a three-ball duck in the first over. The duo's aggressive batting saw them hit 10 fours en route to the record-breaking fifty.
Duckett further distinguished himself by achieving the quickest Test half-century by an England opener, reaching his fifty in only 32 balls. By the end of the first hour, England had amassed 86 runs for the loss of one wicket.
England's previous quickest team hundred in Test cricket was also achieved at The Oval in 1994, where they reached the hundred mark in just 13.3 overs during a chase of 205 runs. Comparatively, India holds the record for the fastest team hundred overall, achieving it in 12.2 overs against West Indies in Port of Spain in 2023.
Under the leadership of Ben Stokes and their aggressive 'Bazball' approach, England has now recorded six completed Test innings with a run-rate exceeding 5 runs per over since 2022 — the highest among all teams in Test history.
Fastest Team 50s in Recorded Test Cricket:
| Team | Opposition | Venue | Year | Overs |
|---|
| England | West Indies | Nottingham | 2024 | 4.2 |
| England | South Africa | The Oval | 1994 | 4.3 |
| England | Sri Lanka | Manchester | 2002 | 4.6 |
| Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Karachi | 2004 | 5.2 |
| India | England | Chennai | 2008 | 5.3 |
| India | West Indies | Port of Spain | 2023 | 5.3 |
