Travis Head smashes fastest fifty of WC 2023 on World Cup debut

Travis Head marked his World Cup debut in the most emphatic manner once can smashing the quickest half-century of the ongoing edition in the fixture against New Zealand.

Dharmasala (Himachal Pradesh): Travis Head added a lot of spice to the game between Australia and New Zealand on his return to the national side smashing the fastest fifty in the World Cup 2023 in just 25 balls and breaking a few more records on his way to a blistering 109 runs.

Travis Head had missed the first five games of the ongoing tournament as he sustained a hand injury before its start. However, when he returned to the side in the game against the Blackcaps, the southpaw made sure that his World Cup debut will be memorable and one of the best in the tournament.

Head first smashed his fifty in 25 balls registering the joint-quickest half-century of this tournament along with Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis. Thereafter, the left-handed batter Head wreaked havoc playing a knock of 109 runs from just 67 deliveries including seven maximums. Also, it was the second-quickest fifty in World Cups for Australia behind Glenn Maxwell, who had blasted fifty from 21 balls in 2015 edition of the World Cup against Afghanistan.

It required Head just 34 more deliveries to score the fourth-fastest ton in ODIs for Australia. Also, the opener became the fifth Australian to score a century on World Cup debut following the footsteps of Trevor Chappell, Geoff Marsh, Andrew Symonds, and former skipper Aaron Finch. Also, Australia recorded the highest total by any team against New Zealand in ODI World Cup cricket history.

Interestingly, Head's opening partner David Warner, who made a quick-fire 81, had completed his 50 in just 28 balls. But Head surpassed his senior pro to register his name in the record books.

Here are some of the other records clocked during the Australian innings:

Highest team scores after first 10 overs in an ODI
133/0 - Sri Lanka vs England, Leeds, 2006
119/1 - West Indies vs Canada, Centurion, 2003 World Cup
118/0 - Australia vs New Zealand, Dharamsala, 2023 World Cup
118/0 - New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, Christchurch, 2015
116/2 - New Zealand vs England, Wellington, 2015 World Cup

Highest opening partnerships for Australia in World Cups
259 - David Warner and Mitchell Marsh vs Pakistan, Bengaluru, 2023
183 - Shane Watson and Brad Haddin vs Canada, Bengaluru, 2011
182 - Rick McCosker and Alan Turner vs Sri Lanka, The Oval, 1975
175 - David Warner and Travis Head vs New Zealand, Dharamsala, 2023
172 - Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden vs Sri Lanka, Bridgetown, 2007 World Cup Final

Highest opening partnerships in AUSTRALIA vs NEW ZEALAND ODIs
189 - Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh, Christchurch, 2000
175 - David Warner and Travis Head, Dharamsala, 2023
156 - Mark Waugh and Michael Di Venuto, Adelaide, 1997
154 - Kepler Wessels and John Dyson, Melbourne, 1983
149* - Stephen Fleming and Lou Vincent, Wellington, 2007

Highest run-rates for a 150-plus opening stand in ODIs
9.13 - 175 (115) - David Warner & Travis Head (AUSTRALIA) vs NEW ZEALAND, Dharamsala, 2023 World Cup
9.08 - 159(105) - Jonny Bairstow & Jason Roy (ENGLAND) vs PAKISTAN, Bristol, 2019
9.08 - 165*(109) - Brendon McCullum & Jesse Ryder (NEW ZEALAND) vs ENGLAND, Hamilton, 2008
8.98 - 286(191) - Sanath Jayasuriya & Upul Tharanga (SRI LANKA) vs ENGLAND, Leeds, 2006
8.55 - 201*(141) - Virender Sehwag & Gautam Gambhir (IND) vs NEW ZEALAND, Hamilton, 2009