Cricket has witnessed some of the fastest deliveries ever bowled by bowlers who, consistently, tried to push the speedometer to its limits, and hence, it is only fair that these deliveries did not just scare batters but etched an unforgettable legacy in the minds of cricket lovers. The list begins with Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar, who bowled a record 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph) ball against England in 2003. This is a landmark moment that still remains unbeaten to this date.
The Australians, Shaun Tait and Brett Lee, share the second spot with deliveries clocking 161.1 km/h or 100.14 mph bowled in 2010 and 2005 respectively. Tait’s fire delivery came in an ODI against England while Lee’s historic ball was against New Zealand. Another Australian legend, Jeff Thomson, made 160.6 km/h or 99.7 mph way back in 1975, a testament to how raw pace endures over the years.
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Mitchell Starc is carrying the Australian legacy with a 160.4 km/h (99.6 mph) thunderbolt against New Zealand in 2015, which is the fastest ball in Test cricket history. The West Indies too has its speedster in Andy Roberts, who managed 159.5 km/h (99.1 mph) against Australia in 1975, making him the pathbreaker of fast bowling in his zone.
Another West Indian, Fidel Edwards, clocked 157.7 km/h (97.9 mph) against South Africa back in 2003 with his slingy action nicely tempered by blistering pace. New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson recently entered this stratospheric club of world-class pacers as a 157.3-km/h (97.6-mph) rocket appeared during the 2022 final of the IPL. Emerging talent Umran Malik from India also marked the end of IPL 2022 with a delivery which reached 157 km/h (97.5 mph).
To the last one is Australia’s Mitchell Johnson, whose ball against England during the Ashes 2013 clocked an alarming speed of 156.8 km/h or 97.4 mph, defining a career that has proven left-handedly to make its marks in cricket by pace and other means as those guys are not there in other fields except for cricket.
Top 10 Fastest Ball in Cricket History / world fastest ball in cricket
Here’s the list of the fastest deliveries in cricket history in descending order:
- Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) – 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph) against England in 2003.
- Shaun Tait (Australia) – 161.1 km/h (100.14 mph) against England in 2010.
- Brett Lee (Australia) – 161.1 km/h (100.14 mph) against New Zealand in 2005.
- Jeff Thomson (Australia) – 160.6 km/h (99.7 mph) against West Indies in 1975.
- Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 160.4 km/h (99.6 mph) against New Zealand in 2015.
- Andy Roberts (West Indies) – 159.5 km/h (99.1 mph) against Australia in 1975.
- Fidel Edwards (West Indies) – 157.7 km/h (97.9 mph) against South Africa in 2003.
- Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand) – 157.3 km/h (97.6 mph) in the 2022 IPL final.
- Umran Malik (India) – 157 km/h (97.5 mph) during IPL 2022.
- Mitchell Johnson (Australia) – 156.8 km/h (97.4 mph) during the 2013 Ashes