Cricket is a bat and ball game which is played between two teams of eleven players each on a field. Cricket is also a game of speed and precision. Fast bowling is one of the most exciting parts of this sport in which the bowler throws the ball at the batter at breakneck speeds. Over the years, many fast bowlers have left their mark on this sport by bowling some of the fastest balls in cricket history. Today we will discuss the top 10 fastest balls in international cricket history in this article.
Top 10 Fastest Ball in Cricket History
| Rank | Bowler’s Name | Team | Opposite Team | Bowling speed | Year |
| 1 | Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | England | 161.3 km/h | 2003 |
| 2 | Brett Lee | Australia | New Zealand | 161.1 km/h | 2005 |
| 3 | Shaun Tait | Australia | England | 161.1 km/h | 2010 |
| 4 | Jeffrey Thomson | Australia | West indies | 160.6 km/h | 1975 |
| 5 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | New Zealand | 160.4 km /h | 2015 |
| 6 | Andy Roberts | West Indies | Australia | 159.5 km/h | 1975 |
| 7 | Fidel Edwards | West Indies | South Africa | 157.7 km/h | 2003 |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson | Australia | England | 156.8 km/h | 2013 |
| 9 | Mohammad Sami | Pakistan | Zimbabwe | 156.4 km/h | 2003 |
| 10 | Shane Bond | New Zealand | India | 156.4 km/h | 2003 |
1. Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar was a right-arm speed gun fast bowler from Pakistan. He is known as “Rawalpindi Express“. Shoaib Akhtar is in the first position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list. He delivered the fastest ball in cricket history of 161.3 km/h in a one-day international game against England during the 2003 Cricket World Cup at Cape Town in South Africa. The last ball of the fourth over of the match was bowled at 161.3 km/h, which engraved Shoaib Akhtar’s name in the history books as the world’s fastest bowler.
2. Brett Lee
Brett Lee is a former right-arm fast bowler from the Australian Cricket team. He played all three formats (ODI, T20I, Test) for the nation. Lee was acknowledged as one of the world’s fastest bowlers during his international career. In the early 2000s, the New South Wales player faced a strong Australian lineup. He is in the second position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list.
In the fifth ODI in Napier in 2005, the former Australian pacer bowled with a speed of 161.1 km/h against New Zealand. Craig Cumming, an ex-Kiwi who batted first in the 50-over contest, was struck by Lee’s quickest delivery. The speedster from Australia recorded game-ending statistics of 1/34 as the visitors easily won by 122 runs.
3. Shaun Tait
Shaun Tait is a former Australian professional cricketer. In February 2022, he was selected as the bowling coach for the Pakistan National Cricket Team. In an ODI match against England at Lord’s in 2010, Shaun Tait is regarded as the second cricketer to break the 100 mph threshold. He is in the 3rd rank in this list.
The former Australian fast bowler bowled to Craig Kieswetter from England in his first over at a speed of 161.1 km/h (100.1 mph). With four key wickets in the game, Tait was Australia’s record-breaker and helped the visitors defeat the home team by 42 runs.
4. Jeffrey Thomson
Jeffrey Robert Thomson is a former Australian cricketer. He is known as ‘Thommo‘. In his prime, Jeff Thomson was a terrifying sight for any hitter. When he played cricket for Australia, the former Australian made life difficult for most hitters. With his relentless pace and incredible consistency, he made the opponents fearful.
He got the 4th position on this list. In 1975, Thomson bowled against West Indies at Perth at a speed of 160.6 km/h with his quickest delivery. The most terrifying fast-bowling team throughout the 1974–75 season would be Dennis Lillee and Thomson. Between 1972 and 1985, he claimed 200 Test wickets and 55 ODI wickets.
5. Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Aaron Starc is an Australian cricketer who competes for New South Wales and the national squad of his country. Starc is a lower-order left-handed batsman and a left-arm fast bowler. Mitchell Starc is one of a select group of left-arm bowlers who have excelled at the highest level of the sport.
Two 50-over World Cups in a row, in 2015 and 2019, saw the Australian bowler lead the field in wickets. Mitchell Starc got the 5th position on this list. In a Test match against New Zealand in Perth, the fast bowler bowled his fastest ball at 160.4 km/hr. He is one of Australia’s top pacers in the Test format, despite a decline in his recent performances.
6. Andy Roberts
Sir Anderson Montgomery Everton Roberts is a former Antiguan first-class cricketer and West Indian cricketer. Andy Roberts is regarded as the father of modern West Indian fast bowling. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Andy Roberts performed with the renowned West Indian quartet. He is in the 6th rank in the top 10 fastest bowler’s list.
He threw the ball against Australia in Perth in 1975 with a speed of 159.5 km per hour. Roberts was the first Antiguan to represent the West Indies abroad. He was a member of the 1975 and 1979 West Indies teams that won the World Cup. While playing for the West Indies, the speed bowler took 202 Test wickets and 87 ODI wickets.
7. Fidel Edwards
Fidel Henderson Edwards is a Barbadian cricketer. He played in all formats of the game. After playing just one game for Barbados, Brian Lara saw him in the practice nets and called him up for his Test debut for West Indies against Sri Lanka. He got the 7th position on this list. Against South Africa, Fidel bowled the pitch at the quickest speed of his career 157.7 km per hour.
He was frequently regarded as one of the hardest bowlers to pick from the hand because of his extremely round arm movement. However, at the highest level, the right-arm pacer had no effect. He had a productive bowling career for the West Indies, taking 165 Test and 60 ODI wickets.
8. Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson is a former Australian cricketer. He was a left-arm fast bowler and also a left-handed batsman. Without any doubt, Mitchell Johnson was one of the most dangerous pacers in the world. Johnson got the 8th position on the list. During the 2013 Ashes at the MCG, the left-arm quick bowled the ball at a speed of 156.8 km/h, which was his fastest ever.
With his speed and determination, Johnson did a fantastic job handling the ball against England and South Africa. Johnson received numerous awards throughout his career for his ideal ball handling. With 37 wickets for Australia in 2013, Mitchell Johnson, who has 313 Test wickets and 239 ODI wickets, was a key player in the home team’s Ashes victory. The Queensland bowler also contributed to Australia’s 2015 World Cup victory.
9. Mohammad Sami
Mohammad Sami is a former Pakistani cricketer and also a cricket coach. He participated in the Pakistan national cricket team’s 2001–2016 roster. In Pakistani cricket history, Mohammad Sami is the nation’s second-fastest bowler. He got the 9th position on the list.
Sami did throw his fastest ball in the 2003 ODI series against Zimbabwe, at a speed of 156.4 km/h. Throughout his bowling career for Pakistan, the Pakistani pacer recorded 121 ODI and 85 Test wickets.
10. Shane Bond
Shane Edward Bond is a former cricketer of the New Zealand cricket team. At present, he is a bowling coach for Mumbai Indians. He played for Canterbury in New Zealand’s domestic cricket and Warwickshire in England’s domestic cricket while representing New Zealand in Test, ODI, and Twenty20 international matches.
He is a right-arm fast bowler. He is in the last position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list. In the 2003 World Cup match against India, he delivered the ball at his fastest-recorded speed of 156.4 km/h.
Conclusion
With their amazing speed and accuracy, these fast bowlers have made a significant and lasting contribution to the sport of cricket. Even though bowling at such high speeds can be enjoyable for the bowler and terrifying for the batsman, it also calls for a great deal of skill, practice, and physical fitness. The fact that these bowlers are among the most admired and feared players in cricket history is not surprising.
FAQ - Top 10 Fastest Ball in Cricket History
Q1) When and where did Shoaib Akhtar bowl his fastest ball?
Answer: In 2002, during a game against New Zealand, Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar managed to set a record for the quickest ball ever. Akhtar was capable of reaching a staggering 161.3 kph.
Q2) Which was the fastest cricket ball in International cricket history?
Answer: Shoaib Akhtar is in the first position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list. He delivered the fastest ball in cricket history of 161.3 km/h in a one-day international game against England during the 2003 Cricket World Cup at Cape Town in South Africa.
Q3) Who is in the second position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list?
Answer: Brett Lee is in the second position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list. In the fifth ODI in Napier in 2005, the former Australia pacer bowled with a speed of 161.1 km/h against New Zealand.
Q4) Who is the fourth quickest bowler on the list of the top 10?
Answer: Jeffrey Thomson is in the fourth position on the list. In 1975, Thomson bowled against West Indies at Perth at a speed of 160.6 km/h with his quickest delivery.
Q5) Who is in the last position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list?
Answer: Shane Bond New Zealand’s fast bowler is in the last position of the top 10 fastest bowlers list. In the 2003 World Cup match against India, he delivered the ball at his fastest-recorded speed of 156.4 km/h.
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