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In a game of cricket, the batters are known to run the game by scoring runs and take their team to a big total. However, the bowlers also play a crucial role in the game and can change the course of a match with tight bowling and by taking big wickets at crunch moments. Good bowling can make you win big matches. Fast bowlers, especially, play an important role in cricket and can trouble some of the best batters in the world with their pace and swing. Throughout the years, the game has produced some of the fast bowlers who were known for clocking the speed of 140-150 kmph and could take down some of the best batters in the world with their pace.
There are fast bowlers, who have bowled some of the fastest deliveries, which have stunned the cricketing fraternity and made their name in history books. In the following listicle, we will discuss the top 10 fastest balls in international cricket throughout the years.
10 Fastest deliveries in international cricket
10. Shane Bond - 156.4 kmph
Shane Bond is the fastest bowler ever known to play for New Zealand. Former Kiwi pacer, Shane Bond could also give nightmares to the batters with his swing and bounce along with his pace. The right-arm pacer clocked the speed of 156.4 kmph in a 2003 ODI World Cup fixture against India at the Centurion.
9. Mohammad Sami - 156.4 kmph
Pakistan has produced some of the best fast bowlers in the game with Mohammad Sami being one of them. The former right-arm pacer from Karachi bowled his official fastest delivery in international cricket against Zimbabwe in an ODI match in 2003. Sami clocked the speed of 156.4 kmph in that game.
8. Mitchell Johnson - 156.8 kmph
Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson was one of the deadliest pacers to play for the Aussies during his prime. During the 2013 Ashes series, Johnson clocked a speed of 156.8 kmph against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
7. Fidel Edwards - 157.7 kmph
Fidel Edwards was one of the great talents to play for West Indies but couldn’t have a long career due to injuries and unusual bowling action. However, Edwards still makes in the list of fastest deliveries in international cricket, clocking a speed 157.7 kmph in a Test match against South Africa in 2003.
6. Andy Roberts - 159.9 kmph
Andy Roberts was one of the big names from West Indies, when the country was dominating cricket in the 1980s. The former right-arm pacer clocked the speed of 159.9 kmph while bowling in a Test match against Australia in Perth in 1975.
5. Jeffrey Thomson - 160.4 kmph
Popular with the nickname of Thommo among his teammates, Jeffrey Thomson is one of the fastest bowlers to play for Australia. He delivered at a speed of 160.4 kmph in a Test match against West Indies in Perth in 1975.
4. Mitchell Starc - 160.4 kmph
One of the best fast bowlers in the world currently, Mitchell Starc has been a spearhead of Australia’s fast bowling for a decade. The left-arm pacer clocked a speed of 160.4 kmph in a Test match against New Zealand at WACA in Perth in 2015.
3. Shaun Tait - 160.7 kmph
Former Australian pacer Shaun Tait was known for his clingy bowling action that helped him in generating extra pace with broad shoulders. The right-arm fast bowler clocked the speed of 160.7 kmph in a T20I game against Pakistan at Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2010.
2. Brett Lee - 161.1 kmph
One of the Australian greats, Brett Lee was known for his pace and accuracy, and played a monumental role in Aussie domination in the decade of 2000s. He comes second in the list of fastest deliveries in international cricket for clocking the speed of 161.1 kmph against New Zealand in Napier in 2005.
1. Shoaib Akhtar - 161.3 kmph
Probably the best in the business, Shoaib Akhtar tops the list for the fastest delivery in international cricket. The former fast bowler from Pakistan clocked the speed of 161.3 kmph in match against England in Cape Town during the 2003 ODI World Cup.
These were the top 10 fastest deliveries to be bowled at international cricket so far. There are also some great pacers in world cricket currently who have potential to break one of these records and it will be interesting to see who takes the charge in future.
