Cricket fans are always excited and curious about the speed of bowlers during the matches. The fastest delivery of the 161.3 Km/h of Shoaib Akhtar in 2003 is still an unbreakable Record, and no other bowler of the current era has managed to come close to it. So, check here the Top 10 Fastest Bowlers in World Cricket History.
There are many bowlers who have managed to bowl the fastest delivery in their career, but here we have the list of the top 10 fastest bowlers. Amongst the active bowlers of the current Era, Mitchell Starc is the only bowler to reach the speed of 160.4 Km/h in the year 2015.
Only three bowlers in the history of Cricket managed to bowl the delivery at a speed of 161 km/h or above. Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, and Shoaib Akhtar are the three bowlers to hold this exceptional record in their names.
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Complete list of the Top 10 fastest bowlers in World Cricket History:
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Speed | Against | Format | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | 161.3 km/h | England | ODI | 2003 |
| 2 | Shaun Tait | Australia | 161.1 km/h | England | ODI | 2010 |
| 3 | Brett Lee | Australia | 161.1 km/h | New Zealand | ODI | 2005 |
| 4 | Jeff Thompson | Australia | 160.6 km/h | West Indies | ODI | 1975 |
| 5 | Mitchell Starc | Asutraia | 160.4 km/h | New Zealand | Test | 2015 |
| 6 | Andy Roberts | West Indies | 159.5 km/h | Australia | ODI | 1975 |
| 7 | Fidel Edwards | West Indies | 157.7 km/h | South Africa | ODI | 2003 |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson | Australia | 156.8 km/h | England | Test | 2013 |
| 9 | Mohammed Sami | Pakistan | 156.4 km/h | Zimbabwe | ODI | 2003 |
| 10 | Shane Bond | New Zealand | 156.4 km/h | India | ODI | 2003 |
10. Shane Bond (New Zealand):
In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Shane Bond represented the New Zealand Squad as a fast bowler. Shane Bond sunrises everyone, bowled the fastest delivery amongst the New Zealand bowlers in the World Cup. While facing off against the Indian squad, he bowled the delivery at 156.4 km/h.
| Name | Shane Bond |
| Birth-date | 7th June, 1975 (49 years old) |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Debut year | 2001 |
| Fastest Delivery | 156.4 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 147 Wickets, Tests- 87 wickets |
9. Mohammed Sami (Pakistan):
Pakistan Cricket team has had many extraordinary bowlers in its history who used to bowl at high speed with swing. Mohammed Sami is one of the talented Pakistani bowlers, and he bowled his best delivery of 156.4 km/h against the Zimbabwe Squad.
| Name | Mohammed Sami |
| Birth-date | 24th Februray, 1981 (44 years old) |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Debut year | 2001 |
| Fastest Delivery | 156.4 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 121 wickets, Tests- 85 Wickets, T20Is- 21 Wickets |
8. Mitchell Johnson (Australia):
Australia’s Mitchell Johnson was one of the highly skilled bowlers and a consistent performer for the team. During the Ashes in 2013, he bowled the delivery at a speed of 156.8 km/h against the strong squad of England.
| Name | Mitchell Johnson |
| Birth-date | 2nd November, 1981 (43 years old) |
| Country | Asutralia |
| Debut year | 2005 |
| Fastest Delivery | 156.8 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 239 wickets, Tests- 313 Wickets, T20Is- 38 wickets |
7. Fidel Edwards (West Indies):
While facing the South Africa squad in the year 2003 ODI format, Fidel Bowled his career fastest delivery of 157.7 km/h. On the other hand, he was a consistent wicket-taker for the West Indies Cricket squad in all formats.
| Name | Fidel Edwards |
| Birth-date | 6th February, 1982 (43 years old) |
| Country | West Indies |
| Debut year | 2003 |
| Fastest Delivery | 157.7 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 60 Wickets, Tests- 165 Wickets, T20Is- 20 Wickets |
6. Andy Roberts (West Indies):
During the 1975 and 1976 period, the West Indies had many fast bowlers; Andy Roberts was one of the fastest. He used to bowl consistently at the speed of 158 and 159 km/h during that Era. Also, batsmen used to fear facing the bowling unit of the West Indies.
| Name | Andy Rhodes |
| Birth-date | 29th January, 1951 (74 years old) |
| Country | West Indies |
| Debut year | 1974 |
| Fastest Delivery | 159.5 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 87 Wickets, Tests- 202 Wickets |
5. Mitchell Starc (Australia):
The fiercest, fastest bowler of the current Era is Mitchell Starc, and he is still dominating the batsmen. He bowled the fifth-fastest delivery in the history of cricket at 160.4 km/h against New Zealand in 2015. Also, Mitchell Starc managed to bowl the fastest delivery of 160 km/h and above twice.
| Name | Mitchell Starc |
| Birth-date | 30th January, 1990 (35 years old) |
| Country | Australia |
| Debut year | 2010 |
| Fastest Delivery | 160.4 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 244 Wickets, Tests- 382 Wickets, T20Is- 79 Wickets |
4. Jeff Thompson (Australia):
In the year 1975, Jeff Thompson bowled the fastest delivery of 160.6 Km/h against the mighty West Indies squad at Perth. He held the record of fastest delivery for many years, and it was broken in the year 2002.
| Name | Jeff Thompson |
| Birth-date | 16th August, 1950 (74 years old) |
| Country | Australia |
| Debut year | 1972 |
| Fastest Delivery | 160.6 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 55 Wickets, Tests- 200 Wickets |
3. Brett Lee (Australia):
One of the most successful bowlers in Australian cricket history, Brett Lee, is standing in the 3rd position. He bowled many fastest deliveries and led Australia to crucial victories. He also bowled the fastest delivery of 161.1 km/h against the New Zealand Squad in the year 2005.
| Name | Brett Lee |
| Birth-date | 8th November, 1976 (48 years old) |
| Country | Australia |
| Debut year | 1999 |
| Fastest Delivery | 161.1 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 380 wickets, Tests- 310 Wickets, T20Is- 28 wickets |
2. Shaun Tait (Australia):
Shaun Tait was on the verge of breaking Shoaib Akhtar’s fastest delivery record in 2010. While facing the England squad, Australia Bowler Shaun Tait bowled the second fastest delivery in the history of cricket, 161.1 Km/h.
| Name | Shaun Tait |
| Birth-date | 22nd February, 1983 (42 years old) |
| Country | Australia |
| Debut year | 2005 |
| Fastest Delivery | 161.1 km/h |
| Wickets | ODI- 62 wickets, Tests- 5 wickets, T20Is- 28 wickets |
1. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan):
Pakistan’s former Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is standing at the top in terms of the Fastest Bowler in cricket. In the year 2003, during the prestigious World Cup, he bowled the fastest delivery in the history of 161.3 km/h. After that, no bowler managed to break the record of Shoaib Akhtar; it is still an unbreakable record for the fastest delivery.
| Name | Shoaib Akhtar |
| Birth-date | 13th August. 1975 (49 years old) |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Debut year | 1997 |
| Fastest Delivery | 161.3 km/h vs England, 2003 |
| Wickets | ODI- 247 Wickets, Tests- 178 wickets, T20Is- 19 wickets |
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