The term ‘fast game’ is appropriate for specifying the inclusion of speed and precision as major constituents in cricket. Running quickly to make runs is essential in batting; however, the ultimate speed of cricket lies within the fast bowlers. The faster he bowls, the more pressure he puts on the batsman; hence, he becomes a potential match-winner.
Many a fast bowler, throughout the history of cricket, have risen to fame with their incredible speed. Their names are inscribed in golden letters for being able to bowl at unbelievable speeds. This article details the top 10 fastest balls ever bowled in the history of cricket, bringing out the speed and finesse of these special athletes.
Highest Speed Balls In Cricket
Now, we will talk about the fastest bowlers. Agility is all about speed and accuracy in any sport, but cricket is a game where speed, agility, and accuracy are paramount. Even if you are batting, you have to run fast to score, but this speed measures even more when talking about a fast bowler.
The faster a bowler bowls, the more pressure he will have on the batsman, and that bowler will turn out to be a match-winning bowler. There have been many fastest bowlers in the history of cricket, and these fast bowlers have written their names in the best and golden letters because of their speed.
Top 10 Fastest Balls In The History Of Cricket
Now, we will tell you the top 10 fastest balls in the history of cricket since the invention of measuring speed.
| Bowler | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| Shoaib Akhtar | 161.3 | 100.23 |
| Shaun Tait | 161.1 | 100.14 |
| Brett Lee | 161.1 | 100.14 |
| Jeff Thomson | 160.6 | 99.66 |
| Mitchell Starc | 160.4 | 99.57 |
| Andy Roberts | 159.5 | 99.12 |
| Fidel Edwards | 157.7 | 97.94 |
| Mitchell Johnson | 156.8 | 97.49 |
| Mohd. Sami | 156.4 | 97.18 |
| Shane Bond | 156.4 | 97.18 |
5 Fastest Deliveries Bowled By Spinners
Because of T20 cricket now, cricket has become very fast and modern. Now, the batsmen are batting faster with increasing strike rates and are making maximum scores at fewer balls. This makes it difficult for the bowlers, especially the spinner bowler, as the batsmen often hit the bowler for sixes.
In such a situation, when a spinner bowler hits consecutive sixes on the first two or three balls, he goes for the next ball with a new delivery and sometimes bowls faster. Such a bowler has only one objective: to stop advancing security somehow and have the next balls.
Five Fastest Spinners In Modern Cricket
Now, we share with you the five fastest spinners in modern cricket.
Marlon Samuels
Marlon Samuels played a huge role in the West Indies winning the T20 World Cup, and for a long time, his reason identity also remained his performance. He was also an excellent spin ball all-rounder and proved to be an excellent all-rounder.
In the 2010s, his half-spin firing proved too difficult for most batsmen.
Ajantha Mendis
Sri Lankan leg spinner Ajantha Mendis is next on the list of fastest spinners. Remember that the Sri Lankan spinner played an important role in winning the 2008 Asia Cup match. Remember that the Sri Lankan spinner played an important role in winning the 2008 Asia Cup match.
BS Chandrashekhar
Indian Leg spinner BS Chandrasekhar was his time’s fastest and best spin bowler. His fame was further enhanced when he dismissed Sir Vivian Richards, the best batsman of his era, three times in four matches.
The fast spinner took six wickets for 38 against England in 1971.
Anil Kumble
Next on the list of fast spinners is the name of another Indian leg spinner who has also been the captain of the Indian team, and that name is Anil Kumble. During a match, the speedometer recorded his ball speed at 118 km per hour.
It was a high-pressure moment for any batsman to face them at the crease as they had a lot of deliveries that had a lot of pace, bounce, and turn.
Shahid Afridi
Regarding fast spinners, who can forget Shahid Afridi’s name? Sometimes, you may have seen medium pacers barely touching 130 kph while perhaps Afridi’s ball was clocked at 134 kph on the speedometer.
Fact Check: Did Sri Lankan Bowler Matheesha Pathirana Bowl 175 Kph Delivery In U-19 WC?
Although Sri Lanka suffered a heavy defeat in this event, the tournament’s highlight was the 17-year-old Sri Lankan pacer Pathirana, who made headlines everywhere due to his fast bowling.
World cricket pundits and experts were shocked when Sri Lanka’s Under-19 fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana stunned everyone by bowling a white bouncer at a speed of 175 kph during an Under-19 World Cup match against India. Regarding speed, this ball became the fastest bowled by any bowler in history.
When this record ball was bowled, the only question in the minds of cricket fans and experts was whether the bowler bowled at a speed of 175 kph or whether there was a technical error.