Bowling fast is a skill that requires talent and a lot of practice to master. Pace bowlers, sometimes known as speed guns or pace spearheads, add to the sport’s excitement with their incredible speed and accuracy. A fast bowler in top form is a sight to behold on the cricket pitch.
Here is a ranking of the top 10 cricket bowlers by speed.
10. Shane Bond (New Zealand): 156.4 km/h
Bond would be known as much for his physical misfortunes as for his incredible abilities. He was fast, fearsome, and frustratingly frail. He missed more games than he played. Bond took 87 Test wickets, 147 ODI wickets, and 25 T20I wickets. During the 2003 World Cup, his fastest ball was timed at 156.4 km/h against India.
9. Mohammad Sami (Pakistan): 156.4 km/h
Sami joins his fellow countryman Akhtar on this list. He made an immediate impact with a five-for against New Zealand on his Test debut. He followed that up with a hat-trick in Pakistan’s third Test against Sri Lanka. Sami went on to take 85 Test wickets, 121 ODI wickets, and 21 T20I wickets. In 2003, he bowled his fastest delivery at 156.4 km/h against Zimbabwe.
8. Mitchell Johnson (Australia): 156.8 km/h
In terms of statistics, Johnson is the best fast bowler in Australian cricket. In 2013, he bowled against England at a speed of 156.8 km/h. Johnson has 38 T20I wickets, 239 ODI wickets, and 313 Test wickets to his name. In addition to being a successful pacer, he was also a capable batsman, amassing a century and 11 fifties during his Test career.
7. Fidel Edwards (West Indies): 157.7 km/h
Another West Indian is next on the list. Paceman Edwards took 165 Test wickets and 60 ODI wickets during a career that began when Brian Lara noticed him in the nets. His quickest delivery was 157.7 km/h against South Africa in 2003.
6. Andy Roberts (West Indies): 159.5 km/h
Sir Andy Roberts is a former West Indian fast bowler who was also an excellent one. In two instances, he took seven wickets in an innings. During his career, Roberts took 202 Test and 87 ODI wickets. His fastest ball was measured at 159.5 km/h in 1975 vs. Australia, and he was known for delivering two types of bouncers.
5. Mitchell Starc (Australia): 160.4 km/h
Believe again if you believe it’s time to switch nationalities. Mitch Starc is another Australian. In 2015, the left-arm paceman helped Australia win the World Cup. Since his debut in 2010, he has taken 244 Test wickets, 178 ODI wickets, and 43 T20I wickets. His fastest delivery time was 160.4 km/h in 2015 against New Zealand.
4. Jeffery Thomson (Australia): 160.6 km/h
Jeffery Thomson measured 160.6 km/h in 1975 against the West Indies with the speed gun. He took 200 Test wickets and 55 ODI wickets between 1972 and 1985. In first-class cricket, he took 675 wickets for Middlesex and New South Wales.
3. Brett Lee (Australia): 160.8 km/h
Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee was a thorn in many batsmen’s sides, capturing 310 Test, 280 ODI, and 487 first-class wickets. He contributed significantly to Australia’s World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007. In 2005, in Napier, against New Zealand, his delivery was clocked at a speed of 160.8 km/h.
2. Shaun Tait (Australia): 161.1 km/h
Another Australian is ranked second. Against England, Tait bowled his fastest delivery at 161.1km/h in 2010. Tait is best recognised for his ODI efforts, where he took 62 wickets between 2005 and 2016.
1. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan): 161.3 km/h
The fastest bowler in cricket history is frequently acknowledged to be Akhtar. He set an official world record in the 2003 World Cup by bowling the fastest delivery—161.3 km/h—against England. He had a career that lasted from 1997 to 2011, taking 247 ODI and 178 Test wickets.
Also Read: The Ten Best Pakistani Fast Bowlers of All Time
Wrapping up with the pace spearheads of Team India
Umran Malik of Jammu and Kashmir has captured the attention of the cricket world by becoming India’s fastest bowler. He consistently bowled at over 150 kph throughout the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season.
Umran has been named India’s fastest bowler for the 2022 season of the IPL. He bowled at a speed of around 150km/hr on average, with several deliveries above that mark.
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj have all demonstrated excellent control and accuracy with the ball in hand. India’s fastest bowlers may now compete against those from Australia, South Africa, England, and New Zealand.
