New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum recorded the fastest-ever World Cup fifty when he reached the landmark off just 18 balls against England at Wellington on Friday.

The opener's whirlwind half-century featured seven fours and four sixes as New Zealand rapidly closed in on victory after skittling England out for just 123.

McCullum beat his own World Cup record when he carved fast bowler Steven Finn for four, having made a fifty off 20 balls against Canada in 2007.

His innings was also the equal third-fastest fifty in all one-day internationals, behind South Africa's AB de Villiers (16 balls) and Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (17 balls).  

Fastest ODI 50s of all time

Fastest 50s in all ODIs after Brendon McCullum hit the quickest World Cup half-century against England on Friday (total score, balls for 50, player, team, opponents, venue, date):

149        16  AB de Villiers   South Africa v West Indies  Johannesburg Jan 18 2015 

76         17  S Jayasuriya     Sri Lanka v Pakistan        Singapore    Apr 07 1996

77         18  B McCullum       New Zealand v England (WC)  Wellington   Feb 20 2015

74         18  S O'Donnell      Australia v Sri Lanka       Sharjah      May 05 1990

102        18  Shahid Afridi    Pakistan v Sri Lanka        Nairobi      Oct 04 1996 

55 not out 18  Shahid Afridi    Pakistan v Netherlands      Colombo      Sep 21 2002

60         18  G Maxwell        Australia v India           Bangalore    Nov 02 2013

59         18  Shahid Afridi    Pakistan v Bangladesh       Mirpur       Mar 04 2014