Litton Das smashes Bangladesh's fastest T20I fifty, breaks 16-year-old record

Litton Das broke a 16-year-old record for the fastest half-century by a Bangladesh batter, in the second T20I against Ireland in Chattogram on Wednesday (March 29).

Das smashed 50 off just 18 balls to break the Bangladesh record previously held by Mohammad Ashraful, who made 50 off 20 balls in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup against the West Indies in 2007.

Litton Das has been going through a purple patch in all forms of the game since 2022. The right-hander had an impressive T20 World Cup last year, averaging 26 at a brilliant strike rate of 143.

The 29-year-old came close to breaking the record in Bangladesh's World Cup game against India last year, reaching 50 off 21. He has taken it a notch higher in 2023, averaging 45 at a strike rate of 150 in five T20Is.

Here is a video of the moment when Litton Das reached the milestone:

Bangladesh lead the three-match T20 series 1-0 after a commanding victory in the first T20I. They won the preceding ODI series 2-0.

Das's stunning innings of 83 off 41 helped Bangladesh rack up a mammoth score of 202-3 in their 17 overs in the rain-curtailed game.

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Litton Das hopes to carry his form into IPL 2023

The Kolkata Knight Riders bought Litton Das in the mini auction last December for his base price of Rs 50 lakh. The Knight Riders endured a poor 2022 season, finishing seventh in the points table and missing the playoffs.

The team felt they needed some impetus in the opening position and that the Bangladesh opener could be the right man, considering his current form. With their captain Shreyas Iyer dealing with an injury and potentially missing this year's IPL, Das could play a pivotal role in setting the innings in the powerplay for KKR.

After getting picked up by the Knight Riders in the auction, Das shared a message on social media:

Das spoke to Sportstar earlier this year after the Knight Riders picked him up:

"The IPL is a huge platform, and you get to play high-intensity games. Sharing the dressing room with some of the big names in world cricket will help me immensely, because the more you get to know them, the better it is for you to pick their brains and learn a thing or two."

Litton Das will join fellow Bangladesh player Sakib Al Hasan in the KKR camp for the 2023 IPL season after the conclusion of the ongoing series against Ireland. KKR open their campaign against Punjab Kings on Saturday (April 1).