Cricket is frequently thought of as the batsman’s sport. Despite shorter boundaries and large bats that help to make life easier for the batsman, bowlers frequently have the upper hand. But historically, a lot of fast bowlers have distinguished themselves with a few of their tools, namely pace, swing, and bounce. Even though pace is less of an issue for most batters these days, some tearaway fast bowlers have still been able to stun teams with their quickness and accuracy. The fastest cricket bowlers in history will be discussed in this article.
Fast bowling is a difficult art to master, though some express bowlers have demonstrated their ability to consistently bowl at speeds of up to 90 mph. Here is a list of some of the fastest bowlers in cricket history, followed by a detailed description.
List of the top ten Fastest Bowlers
- Shoaib Akhtar161.3 kmph
- Shaun Tait161.1 kmph
- Brett Lee160.8 kmph
- Jeff Thomson160.6 kmph
- Mitchell Starc160.4 kmph
- Andy Roberts159.5 kmph
- Fidel Edwards157.7 kmph
- Mitchell Johnson156.8 kmph
- Mohammad Sami156.4 kmph
- Shane Bond156.4 kmph
1. Shoaib Akhtar (161.3 kph )
Akhtar, also known as the Rawalpindi Express, was the first bowler to surpass 100 mph. In the 2003 ICC World Cup match against England, he made the fastest delivery. In a career that lasted from 1997 to 2011, he took 247 ODI and 178 Test wickets.
2. Shaun Tait (161.1 kmph)
The second fastest ball bowled in the history of cricket was by Australia’s Shaun Tait against England at Lords in 2010. He spearheaded the Australian bowling attack in the 2007 World Cup when Lee was injured and finished the tournament as the joint-second leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets. Tait retired from ODI cricket in 2011, after Australia’s exit from the 2011 World Cup.
3. Brett Lee (160.8 kmph)
Former cricketer Brett Lee is the fastest bowler in cricket history and the fastest Australian bowler in Australian cricket history. At Napier in 2005, he bowled New Zealand with a 161.1 kph (100.1 mph) delivery, which was his fastest.
He has a remarkable career record of 487 First-Class cricket wickets, 280 ODI wickets, and 310 test wickets. Lee gained a reputation for being one of the best fielders while also being frequently disputed as the fastest Australian bowler of all time.
4.Jeff Thomson (160.6 kmph)
During his prime, Jeff Thomson was a terrifying sight for any batter. During his time playing cricket for Australia, the former Australian made life miserable for the majority of batters. With his incredible consistency and relentless pace, he made the opposition fearful. At a speed of 160.6 km/h, he made his fastest delivery in a 1975 match against the West Indies in Perth. The most terrifying fast-bowling pair during the 1974–75 season was Thomson and Dennis Lillee. Between 1972 and, he took 55 ODI and 200 Test wickets.
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5.Mitchell Starc (160.4 kmph)
One of the world’s fastest bowlers, Starc’s average speeds hover around 146.4 kph. His quick, in-swinging yorkers are legendary. On the third day of the second Test in 2015, when playing New Zealand, he made the fastest delivery. He has 184 wickets in ODIs and 244 in Tests. He played for Australia’s World Cup-winning team in 2015.
6. Andy Roberts (159.5 kmph)
Andy Roberts is considered the father of modern Western Indian fast bowling. He is a former first-class cricketer who played in the Test and ODI formats of the game.In the middle of the 1970s and the 1980s, Roberts was a member of the West Indies’ “quartet” of fast bowlers.
He participated in Test cricket in his native nation. He was also the first Antiguan to represent the West Indies in Test cricket.Roberts moved to England in 1972, where he participated in first-class cricket matches for the Hampshire County Cricket Club and the Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
7. Fidel Edwards (157.7 kmph)
Fidel Henderson Edwards, a fast bowler from the West Indies, has been a member of the national team since 2003. In 2003, he delivered the ball at a speed of 157.7 kph (97.9 mph) while playing South Africa. Unexpectedly, one of the best left-handed batsmen ever, Brian Lara, saw him in the nets.
And eventually, he qualified for his national team call-up. As of 2021, Fidel had taken 60 ODI wickets and 165 Test wickets. In his previous 12 test matches, he also claimed 5 wickets.He participated in Bangladesh Premier League games for Khulna Royal Bengals in addition to his international appearances. He played for the Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
8.Mitchell Johnson (156.8 kmph)
Without a doubt, Mitchell Johnson was one of the world’s most destructive pacers. When he was at his most fearsome, the Australian was among the best fast bowlers. He was an easy match-winner for Australia in his prime. The left-arm quick bowled at the MCG during the 2013 Ashes his fastest delivery, clocking in at 156.8 km/h. With his speed and aggression, the seamer did an amazing job with the ball against England and South Africa. In the eight test matches he played, he easily intimidated the batsmen, picking up 59 wickets at 15.23 and a bunch of cherries for the helmet. At the age of 32, his outstanding performance earned him the prestigious Allan Border medal. He received numerous awards for his outstanding class.
9. Mohammad Sami (156.4 kmph)
The second-fastest bowler in Pakistani cricket history is Mohammad Sami. Sami, who is renowned for his quickness and swing, has unofficially bowled the fastest ball in cricket history, traveling at a speed of 164 km/h (101.9 mph) during an ODI. The cricket officials later determined that it was a problem with the speed meter. In the 2003 ODI series against Zimbabwe, Sami did bowl his fastest ball, which was measured at 156.4 km/h. Sami bowled for Pakistan throughout his bowling career, taking 121 ODI and 85 Test wickets.
10. Shane Bond (156.4 kmph)
Shane Bond, the representative of fast bowling in New Zealand, was renowned for his quickness and precision throughout his playing career. Bond played international cricket for just eight years, from 2002 to 2010, due to ongoing injuries, but he did manage to take a good number of wickets. In the 2003 ICC World Cup match against India, the right-arm bowler’s fastest ball was recorded at a speed of 156.4 kmph. He suffered a spinal injury shortly after the competition that kept him out of international cricket for two years.