50 in 16 balls, Pankaj Jaiswal enters Ranji Trophy record books

New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh player Pankaj Jaiswal on Monday hit a fifty off just 16 balls in the second-round Group D match of Ranji Trophy 2017 against Goa in Dharamsala, which is the second fastest in the history of first-class cricket in India.

On the third day of the match at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, bowling allrounder Jaiswal played a blistering knock of 63 off only 20 balls, decorated with four boundaries and seven sixes. 
 
The fastest Ranji Trophy half-century is in the name of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandeep Singh, who took 15 balls to reach the landmark against Tripura in the 2015 season.

Himachal's Pankaj Jaiswal today scored a fifty off just 16 balls vs Goa - the second fastest 50 in Indian first-class cricket.#RanjiTrophy — Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) October 16, 2017

The 22-year-old Jaiswal had the Goa bowlers at his mercy with his side sitting pretty at 541/7 when he came in to bat. 

The hosts finally declared their innings at 625/7 to earn a mammoth 370-run lead, thanks to centuries from Priyanshu Khanduri, Ankush Bains and Nikhil Gangta.