Muhammad Abbas sets record on ODI debut against Pakistan

New Zealand debutant Muhammad Abbas made a remarkable impact in the first ODI against Pakistan at McLean Park on Saturday, setting a new record for the fastest fifty on ODI debut.

The 21-year-old batsman reached his half-century in just 24 balls, breaking the previous record of 26 balls held by India's Krunal Pandya, who set the mark in 2021 against England. Abbas’s explosive knock now stands as the fastest fifty on ODI debut.

For Pakistan, Nasir Jamshed still holds the record for the fastest ODI fifty on debut, achieving the milestone in 40 balls against Zimbabwe in 2008.

Fastest ODI fifty on debut: 

• Muhammad Abbas (New Zealand) vs Pakistan 2025 - 24 balls
• Krunal Pandya (India) vs England 2021 - 26 balls
• Alick Athanaze (West Indies) vs UAE 2023 - 26 balls
• Ishan Kishan (India) vs Sri Lanka 2021 - 33 balls
• John Morris (England) vs New Zealand 1991 - 35 balls

Abbas’s rapid fifty was part of an electrifying cameo that helped New Zealand recover after a challenging start. His knock lifted the team to a competitive total of 344-9 in their opening match of the series.

The achievement came as part of a strong team performance, with Mark Chapman’s century anchoring New Zealand’s innings. New Zealand went on to defeat Pakistan by 73 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.