Cricket is frequently regarded as a game for batsmen. Despite smaller boundaries and larger bats that make life easier for batsmen, bowlers typically have a slight advantage on rare occasions. However, pace, swing, and bounce have all contributed to the success of numerous fast bowlers in the past. Despite the fact that pace is no longer a major concern for the majority of batters these days, a few tearaway fast bowlers have still managed to shock teams with their speed and accuracy.
Some of the fastest bowlers in the world have troubled even the best players in the business. The art of fast bowling is difficult to perfect, and some express bowlers have demonstrated their ability to consistently bowl at speeds of up to 90 mph.
1 . Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan)
Shoaib Akhtar, also known as the “Rawalpindi Express,” is the cricket world’s fastest bowler. During the Cricket World Cup 2003, the Pakistani right-arm pacer bowled the fastest delivery in international cricket. At Capetown (South Africa), Akhar, who has always loved to bowl fast, reached 161.3 km/hr against England.
Throughout all of the cricket action, his unique action and aggressive bowling style always stole the spotlight. During his time with Pakistan, Akhtar took 247 ODI wickets and 178 Test wickets. Because of his analysis of the game, he currently has a large following among his countrymen.
2. Brett Lee (Australia)
Brett Lee was the second-fastest bowler in history and the fastest Australian bowler. In the early 2000s, the New South Wales player was part of a formidable Australian lineup. Along with Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, he was a regular feature. The majority of batters who faced him were troubled by his menacing pace in addition to his accuracy.
In 2005, he delivered his fastest delivery against New Zealand at Napier, traveling 161.1 kilometers per hour, breaking the ten-mile barrier. The 44-year-old played a significant role in Australia’s World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007. Brett even became the first bowler to score a hat trick in a T20I match during the 2007 T20 World Cup. Lee had a glorious 13-year career that included nearly 700 international wickets for Australia.
3. Shaun Tait (Australia)
Known for his flighty bowling, Shaun Tait didn’t observe enough accomplishment at the worldwide level for Australia. However, in the 2010s, he was one of the fastest bowlers. Between 2004 and 2016, he only got to participate in 35 ODIs and three Tests for Australia. Against England, he bowled with his fastest delivery. The ball was thrown at a speed of 161.1 kilometers per hour. Later in his career, the right-arm pacer even reached 100 mph against Pakistan in a T20I match at Melbourne.
4. Jeffrey Thomson (Australia)
When he was at his best, Jeff Thomson was a horrible sight for any batter to see. During his time playing cricket for Australia, the former Australian made life miserable for the majority of batters. Because of his incredible consistency and sheer speed, he frightened the opposition.
In 1975, against the West Indies at Perth, he made his fastest delivery, reaching a speed of 160.6 kilometers per hour. During the 1974–75 season, Thomson and Dennis Lillee would team up to form the most fearsome fast-bowling duo. Between 1972 and 1985, he took 55 ODI wickets and 200 Test wickets.
5. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Mitchell Starc belongs to a select group of left-handed bowlers who have competed at the highest level. In 2015 and 2019, the Australian pacer took the most wickets in a 50-over World Cup match. During a Test match against New Zealand in Perth, the fast bowler hit his fastest delivery, 160.4 kilometers per hour.
In his career to date, the 31-year-old has taken 255 Test wickets and 184 ODI wickets. Starc is one of Australia’s best pacers in the Test format, despite seeing a decline in his recent performances.
6. Andy Roberts (West Indies)
Between the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, Andy Roberts was a member of the renowned West Indian quartet. In 1975, he delivered against Australia in Perth at a speed of 159.5 kilometers per hour. Roberts was Antigua’s first international West Indian representative.
He was a member of the West Indies team that won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979. During his time playing for the West Indies, the pace bowler took 202 wickets in Test matches and 87 wickets in One-Day International matches.
7. Fidel Edwards (West Indies)
Fidel Edwards, a pace bowler from West Indies, made his debut in 2003. His meteoric rise to prominence was marked by a great deal of hype praising him as one of the world’s fastest bowlers. Against South Africa, Fidel bowled his fastest delivery, which reached 157.7 kilometers per hour. He was frequently regarded as one of the most difficult bowlers to choose from the hand and had a very round arm action.
At the highest level, however, the right arm pacer had little effect. During his time bowling for West Indies, he took 60 wickets in one-day internationals and 165 in Test matches. The 39-year-old has even been called up to a T20I for the home series in 2021 against Sri Lanka.
8. Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
Mitchell Johnson was without a doubt one of the world’s most destructive pacers. He was Australia’s undisputed matchwinner when he was at his peak. In the 2013 Ashes at MCG, the left-arm quick bowler hit his fastest delivery, 156.8 kilometers per hour.
For Australia, Mitchell Johnson has taken 313 wickets in Test matches and 239 in One-Day International matches. With 37 wickets in 2013, Johnson was instrumental in leading the home team to an Ashes victory. The Queensland quarterback was also a part of Australia’s 2015 World Cup victory.
9. Mohammad Sami (Pakistan)
Mohammad Sami is Pakistan’s second-fastest-ever bowler in cricket. Sami, who is known for his speed and swing, has unofficially bowled the fastest cricket delivery, traveling 164 kilometers per hour (101.9 miles per hour) during an ODI. However, the cricket officials later determined that the problem was with the speedometer.
In the 2003 ODI series against Zimbabwe, Sami delivered his fastest ball, which was measured at 156.4 kilometers per hour. During Sami’s time bowling for Pakistan, he took 121 ODI wickets and 85 Test wickets.
10. Shane Bond (New Zealand )
For New Zealand, Shane Bond was a speedy, destructive, and terrifying pace bowler. Bond had trouble staying in the game for very long during a career that was plagued by injuries. The Kiwi pacer bowled his fastest ball in the World Cup 2003 against India at a speed of 156.4 kilometers per hour. During his time bowling for the Black Caps, he took 27 wickets in Twenty20 International matches, 147 wickets in One-Day Internationals, and 87 wickets in Test matches.