Ben Stokes Sets Record with Fastest Fifty

England captain Ben Stokes made history by scoring the joint third-fastest fifty in Test cricket, reaching the milestone in just 24 balls during a match against the West Indies at Edgbaston. His innings included nine fours and one six as he helped secure a 10-wicket victory, completing a 3-0 series whitewash. Stokes' quickfire half-century equals the record set by Jacques Kallis in 2005 and surpasses previous English records held by Ian Botham and Jonny Bairstow. The only players ahead of Stokes in the all-time fastest fifties list are Misbah-ul-Haq and David Warner. This match also saw Mark Wood shine with the ball, taking seven wickets, while the West Indies struggled, being bowled out for 175 in their second innings. The record highlights the aggressive shift in batting performance in Test cricket this century, with all nine fastest fifties recorded since 2000.