Shoaib Akhtar and Shaun Tait, both of whom have breached the 100 miles per hour. Check out Who is world’s fastest bowler ?
Who is world’s fastest bowler ? ( As of Writing )
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar is the fastest bowler in the world, breaking the 100 miles per hour (mph) barrier against England for the first time in international cricket.
Bowling at breakneck speeds has always been a sought-after quality since the early days of cricket.
From Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee to Shoaib Akthar and Brett Lee, fast bowlers are considered one of the most important members of any cricket team.
| Bowler | Fastest delivery | Against | Year |
| Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) | 161.3 km/hr (100.2 mph) | England | 2003 |
| Shaun Tait (Australia) | 161.1 km/hr (100.1 mph) | England | 2010 |
| Brett Lee (Australia) | 160.8 km/hr (99.9 mph) | New Zealand | 2005 |
| Jeffrey Thomson (Australia) | 160.6 km/hr (99.8 mph) | West Indies | 1975 |
| Mitchell Starc (Australia) | 160.4 km/hr (99.7 mph) | New Zealand | 2015 |
| Andy Roberts (West Indies) | 159.5 km/hr (99.1 mph) | Australia | 1975 |
| Fidel Edwards (West Indies) | 157.7 km/hr (97.9 mph) | South Africa | 2003 |
| Mitchell Johnson (Australia) | 156.8 km/hr (97.4 mph) | England | 2013 |
| Mohammad Sami (Pakistan) | 156.4 km/hr (97.1 mph) | Zimbabwe | 2003 |
| Shane Bond (New Zealand) | 156.4 km/hr (97.1 mph) | India | 2003 |
Among all these greats, a few have etched their names in history by bowling the fastest balls in cricket history.
Nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest delivery in cricket – 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph) – in a One-Day International (ODI) game against England during the 2003 Cricket World Cup at Cape Town in South Africa.
Bowling his second over of the match to former England opening batter Nick Knight, Akhtar tormented the southpaw by recording speeds of 153.3 km/h, 158.4km/h, 158.5km/h, 157.4km/h, 159.5km/h and 161.3km/h as he completed a maiden over.
The last ball of the fourth over of the match was bowled at 161.3km/h, etching Shoaib Akhtar’s name in the history books as the world’s fastest bowler
However, the right-arm fast bowler ended up conceding 63 runs in his nine overs, picking the solitary wicket of Michael Vaughan as Pakistan suffered a 112-run defeat in the 50-over World Cup encounter.