What are the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history? When it comes to Cricket, it is about speed, accuracy and power. Especially, fast bowling is one of the signatures of cricket that makes this sport unique and captures the hearts of millions of fans. Let’s explore the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history.
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Top 10 Fastest Balls in Cricket History
The following table illustrates the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history within international tournaments.
| Rank | Bowler | Speed (km/hr) | Speed (mph) | Country | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoaib Akhtar | 161.3 | 100.2 | Pakistan | England | 2003 |
| 2 | Shaun Tait | 161.1 | 100.1 | Australia | England | 2010 |
| 3 | Brett Lee | 161.1 | 100.1 | Australia | New Zealand | 2005 |
| 4 | Jeffrey Thomson | 160.6 | 99.8 | Australia | West Indies | 1975 |
| 5 | Mitchell Starc | 160.4 | 99.7 | Australia | New Zealand | 2015 |
| 6 | Andy Roberts | 159.5 | 99.1 | West Indies | Australia | 1975 |
| 7 | Fidel Edwards | 157.7 | 97.9 | West Indies | South Africa | 2003 |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson | 156.8 | 97.4 | Australia | England | 2013 |
| 9 | Mohd. Sami | 156.4 | 97.1 | Pakistan | Zimbabwe | 2003 |
| 10 | Shane Bond | 156.4 | 97.1 | New Zealand | India | 2003 |
#1 . Shoaib Akhtar – 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph)
Shoaib Akhtar is a legend of cricket history, a fast-bowling legend who redefined the art of pace and terrorized batsmen around the world. People call him The Rawalpindi Express. He was raw power, pure adrenaline, a bowling missile that could shatter records and leave jaws on the floor. His deliveries regularly clocked over 150 kmph, making him the fastest bowler of his time, rank#1 in the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history.
#2. Shaun Tait – 161.1 km/h (100.14 mph)
In the second rank is Shaun Tait, an Australian bowler who achieved extraordinary records for both international tournaments and the IPL. He is known by the nickname, The Missile from Adelaide, showing a rocket capable of exceeding 160 kmph, His deliveries were brutal, often unplayable, and left batsmen ducking and diving for cover. His ability to bowl thunderbolts at the death overs was unmatched, making him a genuine match-winner in the fast-paced world of limited-overs cricket.
#3. Brett Lee – 161.1 km/h (100.14 mph)
Another legend in the list of the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history is Brett Lee, who earned the same record as Shaun Tait. Brett Lee deserves a spot in the pantheon of cricketing speedsters. It is no doubt that he is called the Blazing Blade, He possessed exceptional swing, both conventional and reverse, which made him even more unpredictable and dangerous. He could bowl vicious outswingers that would leave batsmen stranded, or deceptive inswingers that would sneak through the slightest gap in their defense.
#4. Jeff Thomson – 160.6 km/h (99.66 mph)
Jeff Thomson is also a fast bowler that marks his name in cricket history. He could bowl thunderbolts over 160 kmph that seemed to arrive before the batsman even saw them. His yorkers were millimetre-perfect, his bouncer’s head-high rockets and his inswingers dipped and swerved like angry cobras.
#5. Mitchell Starc – 160.4 km/h (99.57 mph)
Came from Australia, the birthplace of the greatest bowlers in the world, there is no doubt that Mitchell Starte has a skill that goes beyond speed. It is the combination of raw pace, exceptional left-arm swing, and a knack for taking wickets at crucial moments.
#6. Andy Roberts – 159.5 km/h (99.12 mph)
Before Andy Roberts, West Indian fast bowling was about raw power and intimidation. Roberts changed that. He introduced rhythm, control, and the art of building pressure. He understood variations, swing, and how to use the pitch to his advantage. This tactical approach laid the foundation for the generations of fearsome West Indian pacemen that followed.
#7. Fidel Edwards – 157.7 km/h (97.94 mph)
Rank #7 in the list of top 10 fastest balls in cricket history is Fidel Edwards. His sheer pace, especially in the early years of his career, was his most potent weapon, capable of rattling stumps and shattering records. He is also recognized as one of the fastest bowlers from the West Indies, known for his fiery pace and accurate bowling.
#8. Mitchell Johnson – 156.8 km/h (97.49 mph)
Mitchell Johnson with a record of over 156.8 km/h made him the eighth-fastest ball in cricket history at 156.8 km/h (97.49 mph) during a match against England in 2013. In him, there is a combination of pure skill,ability-wise, raw pace, exceptional bounce, and vicious swing. He bowled
#9. Mohd. Sami – 156.4 km/h (97.18 mph)
The fastest delivery Sami has recorded in his international career was at 156.4 kph during an ODI against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 2003, getting him a nine spot in the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history. However, he has unofficially bowled the fastest delivery in cricket when he clocked at 164 km/h (101.9 mph) during a One Day International match.
#10. Shane Bond – 156.4 km/h (97.18 mph)
In the last stand of the top 10 fastest balls in cricket history is Shan Bond, a right-arm fast bowler from New Zealand. known for his explosive pace and precision. His fastest recorded delivery was clocked at 156.4 km/h against India in the 2003 World Cup.
Top 5 Fastest Bowler in India 2023
Even though India is the birthplace of the world’s greatest batsman, many fast bowlers possess exceptional speed and accuracy, such as Umran Malik’s fastest delivery in international cricket is 156 km/hr, which came against Sri Lanka in January 2023. Other names in the list are in below:
| Rank | Bowler | Speed (km/hr) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umran Malik | 157 | 2022 |
| 2 | Irfan Pathan | 153.7 | 2007 |
| 3 | Mohammed Shami | 153.3 | 2014 |
| 4 | Jasprit Bumrah | 153.26 | 2018 |
| 5 | Navdeep Saini | 152.85 | 2019 |
Top 7 Fastest Balls in IPL
Indian Premier League (IP) is also a breeding ground shining the fastest balls and exceptional fast bowlers with fiery deliveries and explosive bowling. Here are some outstanding performances in the history of IPL.
| Rank | Fastest Bowlers | Speed | IPL Team | Nationality | IPL Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaun Tait | 157.71 kph | Rajasthan Royals | Australian | 2011 |
| 2 | Lockie Ferguson | 157.3 kph | Gujarat Titans | New Zealanders | 2022 |
| 3 | Umran Malik | 157 kph | SRH | Indian | 2022 |
| 4 | Anrich Nortje | 156.22 kph | Delhi Capitals | South African | 2020 |
| 5 | Dale Steyn | 154.40 kph | Deccan Chargers | South African | 2012 |
| 6 | Kagiso Rabada | 154.23 kph | Delhi Capitals | South African | 2019 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highest Ball Speed In Cricket – Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, popularly known as ‘Rawalpindi Express’, has demonstrated the precise exercise he needed to reach a speed of 161.3 kmph. The Pakistani speedster still holds the record for the fastest delivery in international cricket history.
The official record for the longest six in cricket history belongs to Australia’s Brett Lee, who crossed the rope by some 130-135 meters. This came against the West Indies in 2005 in a Test match at the Gabba.
Siraj’s bowling speed has been consistently improving since his debut in 2017. While he had maintained a speed of around 145 km/h, the 2021 IPL season witnessed a significant acceleration, with Siraj averaging 147.5 km/h and even touching the milestone of 156 km/h.
An influential piece of India’s cricket team in all formats of the game, be it ODIs, T20s or test matches, Bumrah is considered one of the best bowlers in the modern-day cricket.
Keywords: top 10 fastest bowlers in the world, top 10 fastest balls in cricket history