In this article, we are going to take a look at 10 fast bowlers who have recorded the fastest deliveries in the history of cricket.
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1. Shoaib Akhtar
At the top of the list is Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar who bowled the fastest recorded ball in cricket history of 161.3 km per hour against England in the ICC World Cup in 2003. Akhtar whose international career began in the 1997/98 season and ended in the 2010/11 season took 178 Test wickets at an average of 25.69 with his best bowling figures in an innings of 6/11. He took 247 ODI wickets in 163 matches at an average of 24.97 with the best bowling figures of 6/16. Akhtar also took 19 wickets in 15 T20Is at 22.73 with his best bowling figures of 3/38.
2. Brett Lee
Australian right-arm fast bowler Brett Lee recorded his fastest delivery of 161.1 km per hour against New Zealand in Napier in 2005. Lee’s international career lasted from 1999 to 2012. He took 310 wickets in 76 matches at 30.81 with the best bowling figures in an innings of 5/30. He played 221 ODIs in which he took 380 wickets at 23.36 with the best bowling figures of 5/22. Additionally, he took 28 wickets in 25 T20Is at 25.50 with his best bowling figures of 3/23.
3. Shaun Taitp>Australian right-arm fast bowler Shaun Tait registered his fastest delivery of 161.1 km per hour against England. Tait played international cricket between 2005 and 2016. He took 5 wickets in 3 Test matches at an average of 60.40 with his best bowling figures in an innings of 3/97. He also played 35 ODIs in which he took 62 wickets at an average of 23.56 with his best bowling figures of 4/39. 4. Jeff Thomsonp>Australian right-arm fast bowler Jeff Thomson recorded his top speed of 160.6 km per hour against the West Indies in Perth in 1975. Thomson enjoyed an international cricket career from 1972 to 1985. He played 51 Test matches in which he took 200 wickets at an average of 28.00, achieving his best bowling figures in an innings of 6/46. He also played 50 ODIs in which he took 55 wickets at an average of 35.30 with the best bowling figures of 4/67. 5. Mitchell Starcp>Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc bowled his fastest delivery of 160.4 km per hour against New Zealand at the WACA in Perth in 2015. The ball was the second-fastest in a Test match after Jeff Thomson’s performance against the West Indies at the same venue 40 years earlier. Starc who began his international career in 2010 is currently active in international cricket. He has played 57 Test matches in which he has taken 244 wickets at an average of 26.97 with the best bowling in an innings of 5/80. He has also taken 183 wickets in 94 matches at an average of 19.48 with his best bowling figures of 6/28. In T20I cricket, Starc has taken 45 wickets in 34 games at 19.48 with his best bowling figures of 3/11. 6. Andy Robertsp>West Indian right-arm paceman Andy Roberts recorded a bowling speed of 159.5 km per hour against Australia in Perth in 1975. Roberts began his international career in 1974 and played his last match for the West Indies in 1983. He took 202 wickets in 47 Test matches at an average of 25.61 with his best bowling figures in an innings of 7/54. In 56 ODI matches, Roberts dismissed 87 batsmen at a bowling average of 20.35 with the best bowling figures of 5/22. 7. Fidel Edwardsp>West Indian fast bowler Fidel Edwards bowled at 157.7 km per hour against South Africa in 2003. Edwards enjoyed an international career that spanned between 2003 and 2012. Both his first and last international games were Test matches, against Sri Lanka in June 2003 and against Bangladesh in November 2012 respectively. He played 55 Test matches in which he took 165 wickets at an average of 37.87. He registered his best bowling figures in an innings of 7/87. Edwards also played 50 ODIs in which he took 60 wickets at an average of 30.20 with the best bowling figures of 6/22. 8. Mitchell Johnsonp>Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson pressed the accelerator up to 156.8 km per hour while bowling against England in Melbourne during the Ashes series in December 2013. He played international cricket between the years 2005 and 2015. His first international game was an ODI match in December 2005 while his last one was a Test played in November 2015. Both games were against New Zealand. Johnson represented Australia in 73 Test matches in which he took 313 wickets at an average of 8/61. He also played 153 ODIs in which he managed to take 239 wickets at an average of 25.26 with the best bowling figures of 6/31. 9. Muhamma Samip>Pakistani right-arm fast bowler Md Sami recorded a delivery of 156.4 km per hour against Zimbabwe in an ODI held in Sharjah in April 2003. Sami began his international career in 2001 and retired in 2016. His first international game was a Test match against New Zealand in March 2001, while his last appearance for Pakistan came in a T20I against Australia in March 2016. He played 36 Test matches in which he took 85 wickets at an average of 52.74 with his best bowling figures in an innings of 5/36. He also played 87 ODIs in which he took 121 wickets at an average of 27.48 with the best bowling figures of 5/10. 10. Shane Bondp>New Zealand’s right-arm fast bowler Shane Bond bowled at 156.4 km per hour during the ICC World Cup in 2003. Bond enjoyed an international career from 2001 to 2010. Bond’s first international game was a Test match against Australia in November 2001. He played his last international match (a T20I) against England in May 2010. In 18 Test matches played by him, Bond took 87 wickets at an average of 22.09 with his best bowling figures in an innings of 6/51. He also played 82 ODIs in which he took 147 wickets at an average of 20.88 with his best bowling figures of 6/19.| Rank | Bowler | Fastest Delivery |
| 1 | Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) | 161.3 km/h (100.2 mp/h) |
| 2 | Brett Lee (Australia) | 161.1 km/h (100.1 mp/h) |
| 3 | Shaun Tait (Australia) | 161.1 km/h (100.1 mp/h) |
| 4 | Jeffrey Thompson (Australia) | 160.6 km/h (99.8 mp/h) |
| 5 | Mitchell Starc (Australia) | 160.4 km/h (99.7 mp/h) |
| 6 | Andy Roberts (West Indies) | 159.5 km/h (99.1 mp/h) |
| 7 | Fidel Edwards (West Indies) | 157.7 km/h (97.9 mp/h) |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson (Australia) | 156.8 km/h (97.4 mp/h) |
| 9 | Muhammad Sami (Pakistan) | 156.4 km/h (97.1 mp/h) |
| 10 | Shane Bond (New Zealand) | 156.4 km/h (97.1 mp/h) |