Top 10 Fastest Balls In Cricket History

The fastest ball ever in cricket history came at a speed of 161.3 kmph. Fast bowling isn’t an easy job, but once it comes right, even the greatest batters find it incredibly difficult to react. Over the years, many pacers have clocked the 150 kmph mark, but very few have touched it consistently.

Any batter, on any conditions or surface, will come under pressure facing this speed. But it’s equally hard for the Pacers to keep their rhythm at that pace for a long time.

Here are the top ten fastest balls in cricket history

1. Shoaib Akhtar (161.3 kmph)

The Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar, holds the record for the fastest ball in history and has his name in the Guinness Book of World Records. He became the first pacer to break the 100 mph barrier in the 2003 ODI World Cup against England.

There were doubts and concerns about his action, but Akhtar celebrated the record. However, he was unlucky not to get the wicket of Nick Knight, who tucked it onto the leg side for a single.

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2. Shaun Tait and Brett Lee (161.2 kmph)

Australia’s pacers Shaun Tait and Brett Lee are the joint record holders in the list. It’s a record that remains untouched after 13 years. Lee was not just fast but lethal to swing and seam the ball with pace.

The Australian bowler bowled the fastest at 161.1 kmph against New Zealand at Napier in 2005.

3. Shaun Tait (160.7 kmph)

With a slow run-up, Shaun Tait was able to generate incredible pace with his action. He constantly bowled over 150 kmph, especially in the shortest format.

Tait bowled a delivery at 160.7 kmph against Pakistan in a T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The wicket-keeper Brad Haddin’s reaction to the gloves was a prime example of the speed.

4. Jeff Thompson (160.4 kmph)

Australia’s terrorized pacer, Jeff Thompson, known as ‘Thommo’, is one of the greatest opening bowling combinations along with Dennis Lillee in the 1970s. With a unique action, Thompson was lethal with lightning pace before the helmet was invented.

Thompson bowled his fastest ball at 160.4 kmph on the fastest surface in the world at the WACA ground in Perth against the West Indies in 1975 during the home series.

5. Mitchell Starc (160.4 kmph)

The left-arm Australian pacer, Mitchell Starc, has the pace to hurry the batters. During the second Perth Test against New Zealand in 2015, he ran into the bowl at a speed of 160.4 kmph at the Kiwi batter, Ross Taylor, who defended the yorker.

Starc’s average score has gone down a bit. With his smooth action, his searing yorkers are a treat to watch.

6. Andy Roberts (159.9 kmph)

One of the fastest and scariest pacers of the West Indies pace quarter in the 1980s, Andy Roberts was known as the Ice Man as he didn’t show any emotions even after hitting any batter.

In the past years of pace bowling dominance, Roberts bowled his fastest delivery at 159.9 kmph in Australia.

7. Fidel Edwards (157.7 kmph)

The West Indies pacer is in the list of the fastest balls in cricket history. His approach towards the popping crease in delivering the ball needed acceleration to deliver the fast balls.

Edwards was a handy seamer for reverse-swing with the old ball. He bowled his fastest delivery at a speed of 157.7 kmph in 2003 against South Africa.

8. Mitchell Johson (156.8 kmph)

Mitchell Johnson, in 2013, was excellent with the pace and bounce to trouble the batters. He was equally incredible with the fastest balls, at the toe-crushing yorkers, and nasty short balls, which gave the batters nightmares.

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Johnson bowled his fastest delivery against the arch-rivals England at 156.8 kmph in 2013.

9. Mohammad Sami (156.4 kmph)

Mohammad Sami, the former Pakistani pacer, was touted to be in the same league of Shoaib Akhtar. He is one of the few bowlers to take hat-tricks in both Tests and ODIs.

His career was cut short due to the spot fixing scandal against England in 2010. He bowled his fastest ball at 156.4 kmph against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 2003.

10. Shane Bond (156.4 kmph)

The New Zealand pacer, Shane Bond, was one of the premier fast bowlers as his whippy action was the reason for discomfort. He could also swing the ball at a huge speed besides going for the yorkers.

His fastest ball came at 156.4 kmph against Australia in the 2003 World Cup game.