Pace Bowlers who frequently bowl at a speed of 140+ KPH usually get the tag of an express pace bowler. Lasith Malinga, Dale Steyn, and Brett Lee are some of the biggest names which come to mind when we hear about fast bowling. These bowlers bowled so many thunderbolts at the batsman, which were scary to face.
The raw pace is one of the toughest matchups to face as a batsman. It is one of the powerful tools captains use to get important breakthroughs.
Most batsmen struggle to time the ball against express pace bowlers. A fraction of a second reaction time is needed for a batter to negotiate from the other end. Very few batsmen like AB De Villiers can play express pace at ease.
Find below the list of the Top 10 fastest deliveries bowled in the history of the Indian Premier League.
Fastest Deliveries Bowled in IPL
| Bowler | Speed (in kmph) | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaun Tait (RR) | 157.7 | Delhi Capitals | 2011 |
| Lockie Ferguson (GT) | 157.3 | Rajasthan Royals | 2022 |
| Umran Malik (SRH) | 157 | Delhi Capitals | 2022 |
| Mayank Yadav (LSG) | 156.7 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2024 |
| Anrich Nortje (DC) | 156.2 | Rajasthan Royals | 2020 |
| Umran Malik (SRH) | 156 | Delhi Capitals | 2022 |
| Mayank Yadav (LSG) | 155.8 | Punjab Kings | 2024 |
| Anrich Nortje (DC) | 155.1 | Rajasthan Royals | 2020 |
| Umran Malik (SRH) | 154.8 | Delhi Capitals | 2022 |
| Anrich Nortje (DC) | 154.7 | Rajasthan Royals | 2020 |
Key Insights
Australian batsman Aaron Finch was at the receiving end of the fastest delivery ever bowled in the history of IPL by Shaun Tait (157.7 kmph). The most surprising stat is that Tait never bowled a 155+ kmph delivery in IPL after this fastest delivery.
Umran Malik, in his second year of IPL, has the record of bowling the most number of 150+ kmph deliveries in a single season of the Indian Premier League. However, Rovman Powell smashed the fastest delivery bowled by Umran Malik for a four. Watch the video of the delivery here.
Anrich Nortje bowled his two fastest balls in a single over against Jos Buttler. The first ball was smashed for a boundary, while the second ball resulted in a wicket. Nortje is one of the quickest pacers going around in the world.
Umran Malik has dominated this list. In the future, Jammu and Kashmir pacer has a great chance to replace Shaun Tait in the first position. It won’t be a surprise if Umran Malik has the record of all the top 10 fastest deliveries in the history of IPL. He has been ruthless with his pace.
Anrich Nortje, Jofra Archer, and Lockie Ferguson are other international bowlers who can break the 157.7 kmph in IPL.
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