Who is the Fastest Bowler in Cricket World? Shoaib Akhtar to Umran Malik
Bowling fast is a skill, and to be effective at that speed takes talent and a lot of practice. Pace bowlers, also known as speed guns or pace spearheads, bring more excitement in the sport with their outrageous pace and accuracy. A fast bowler in red-hot form is definitely a sight to behold on a cricket field.
Love watching the quality pacers bowling with express speed on the cricket field? Feel the thrill with your own fantasy cricket team on the Howzat Fantasy App.
Top 10 World's Fastest Cricket Bowlers in History
Former Pakistani right-arm fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar "Rawalpindi Express" is widely regarded as the all-time fastest bowler in cricket history. He bowled the fastest ball ever recorded in international cricket at a speed of 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph) against England in the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Over the years, the likes of Waqar Younis, Brett Lee, Allan Donald, and Shaun Tait have taken the batters by surprise with speed and accuracy throughout their career. Australia’s Mitchell Starc, New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, and England’s Jofra Archer are few of the fast bowlers who trouble the batter with express speed in world cricket at the moment.
All-time Fastest Deliveries in Cricket History
Bowler | Fastest Delivery | Country | Against | Year |
| Shoaib Akhtar | 161.3 km/hr (100.2 mph) | Pakistan | England | 2003 |
| Shaun Tait | 161.1 km/hr (100.1 mph) | Australia | England | 2010 |
| Brett Lee | 161.1 km/hr (100.1 mph) | Australia | New Zealand | 2005 |
| Jeffrey Thomson | 160.6 km/hr (99.8 mph) | Australia | West Indies | 1975 |
| Mitchell Starc | 160.4 km/hr (99.7 mph) | Australia | New Zealand | 2015 |
| Andy Roberts | 159.5 km/hr (99.1 mph) | West Indies | Australia | 1975 |
| Fidel Edwards | 157.7 km/hr (97.9 mph) | West Indies | South Africa | 2003 |
| Mitchell Johnson | 156.8 km/hr (97.4 mph) | Australia | England | 2013 |
| Mohd. Sami | 156.4 km/hr (97.1 mph) | Pakistan | Zimbabwe | 2003 |
| Shane Bond | 156.4 km/hr (97.1 mph) | New Zealand | India | 2003 |
Also read: Who is the King of Cricket in the World at Present 2022?
Fastest Bowler in India 2023: Top 5 List
Hyderabad’s fast bowler Umran Malik has been in the spotlight of the cricket world by becoming the fastest bowler in India. In the Indian T20 League 2022 season, Umran constantly bowled at over 150kph throughout the season. Umran Malik has taken over the title of the fastest bowler in India during the 2022 season of the Indian T20 League. He bowled at an average speed of around 150km/hr, with many deliveries crossing the 150 mark.
The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj have shown plenty of control and accuracy with the ball in hand. Indian fastest bowlers can now go against the quickest bowlers from Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand.
| Rank | Bowler | Fastest Delivery/Ball | Year |
| 1 | Umran Malik | 157 km/hr | 2022 |
| 2 | Irfan Pathan | 153.7 km/hr | 2007 |
| 3 | Mohammed Shami | 153.3 km/hr | 2014 |
| 4 | Jasprit Bumrah | 153.26 km/hr | 2018 |
| 5 | Navdeep Saini | 152.85 km/hr | 2019 |
Also read: Babar Azam vs Virat Kohli
Fastest Balls in Indian T20 League
In Indian T20 League history, Shaun Tait has bowled the fastest delivery at 157.7 km/hr in 2011. Lockie Ferguson bowled the fastest delivery of the Indian T20 League 2023 clocking 154.1 km/hr. Umran Malik is the fastest Indian bowler in the top 5 fastest bowlers of the league, alongside South Africa’s Anrich Nortje.
Bowler | Fastest Ball Bowled (km/hr) | Season |
| Shaun Tait | 157.7 | 2011 |
| Lockie Ferguson | 157.3 | 2022 |
| Umran Malik | 157 | 2022 |
| Anrich Nortje | 156.2 | 2022 |
| Umran Malik | 156 | 2022 |
FAQ’s
What was the speed of Shoaib Akhtar’s fastest ball?
Shoaib Akhtar’s fastest delivery came at a speed of 161.3km/hr against England during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He is also considered as the fastest bowler in the history of cricket.
What is the fastest ball in cricket history?
Shoaib Akhtar delivered the fastest ball in cricket history against England in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, reaching 161.3kmph.
Who is the fastest bowler in India 2023?
Umran Malik is regarded as the fastest bowler in India. He set a record for bowling the fastest ball by an Indian bowler in history (157kmph).
Who is the best bowler in the world 2023?
At present, India's Jasprit Bumrah can be termed the current best bowler in the world. He has taken 318 international wickets in 160 matches (Test, ODI and T20I combined). Bumrah has also taken 145 wickets in the Indian T20 League. He is ranked No. 7 in Test bowler rankings.
Who is the world's fastest bowler in 2023?
Lockie Ferguson, who bowled a delivery of 154.1 km/hr against Gujarat in the Indian T20 League 2023 is the fastest bowler in 2023.
