Xtra Time Web Desk : Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Umran Malik continues to impress in the ongoing IPL 2022 season. The Kashmiri fast bowler on Sunday became the third bowler in the history of IPL to bowl a maiden in the 20th over of an innings. The 22-year-old not only bowled a maiden but also took three wickets in the over to end his spell as 4-1-28-4.
Umran first dismissed Odean Smith hurrying him up for the pace and had him caught & bowled. He was too good for the tailenders castling Rahul Chahar and Vaibhav Arora off successive deliveries. Due to Umran’s effort Punjab Kings were bowled out for 151.
Umran has been a revelation in the ongoing edition of IPL as he consistently clocked around 145-150 km/h. But is he the quickest among the Indian bowlers or how close is he compared to overseas fast bowlers? Quite a few Indians managed to bowl over 150kph in their prime. Here is a look:
Javagal Srinath: The lanky fast bowler from Karnataka is said to have bowled the fastest ball by an India quick. Srinath have breached the 157kph-mark during India’s tour to South Africa in 1996. He also clocked 149.6kph to become the second-fastest bowler in the 1999 World Cup, only after Shoaib Akhtar.
Irfan Pathan: The left arm pacer from Baroda was quick and troubled the batters with his accuracy. He clocked 153.7kph delivery during the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Jasprit Bumrah: Pathan’s state-mate Jasprit Bumrah comes close on the list, with a delivery that clocked 153.26kph during the first Test match against Australia in 2018.
Mohammed Shami: The fast bowler from Bengal had recorded 153.3kph during the third Test match against Australia in Melbourne in 2015.
Navdeep Saini: The Rajasthan Royals’ pacer’s delivery of 152.85kph during the 2019 edition of the India Premier League was the fastest ball in the IPL by an Indian, till Umran broke the record.
There are other Indian fast bowlers who are not far behind in terms of pace. Ishant Sharma had sent down a 152.6kph ball while playing against Australia in the CB series way back in 2008. Four years later, Umesh Yadav bowled at a speed of 152.5kph against Sri Lanka in Brisbane, and Varun Aaron also clocked the same speed against the same rivals in 2014 to ensure his name finds a spot in the list of fastest bowlers from India.
As far as international fast bowlers are concerned, Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar tops the list. Here are the top 5 overseas fast bowlers in terms of clocking the fastest delivery:
Shoaib Akhtar: Former Pakistan speedster took the cricketing world by storm when he became the fastest bowler by breaking the 100 miles per hour (mph) barrier against England for the first time in international cricket. Nicknamed Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest delivery in cricket – 161.3 km/hr (100.2 mph) – in an ODI against England during the 2003 Cricket World Cup at Cape Town in South Africa.
Brett Lee: The Australian speedster was the second bowler to come near the 100mph barrier in international cricket. Lee recorded his fastest delivery of 160.8 km/h (99.9 mph) against New Zealand in the fifth ODI at Napier in 2005.
Shaun Tait: Brett Lee’s former teammate Shaun Tait is officially considered the second cricketer to breach the 100 mph barrier against England at Lord’s in an ODI encounter in 2010. The former Australia fast bowler clocked 161.1 km/h (100.1 mph) while bowling to England opening batter Craig Kieswetter in his first over.
Mitchell Starc: Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is currently the fastest bowler in world cricket. The left-arm pacer bowled his fastest delivery of 160.4 km/h against New Zealand on the third day of the second Test at Perth in 2015.