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Shoaib Akhtar: 161.3 km/h
Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest recorded delivery in international cricket, 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph), to England’s Nick Knight at the 2003 World Cup in Cape Town. Shaun Tait (161.1 km/h) and Brett Lee (160.8 km/h) are next. Akhtar is the only bowler recorded above 100 mph in an international.
Genuine pace has always been one of cricket’s great spectacles. At 150 km/h and above, a batter has well under half a second to pick the length and react. Here are the 10 fastest recorded deliveries in international cricket and the bowlers who sent them down.
Fastest Deliveries in International Cricket
| Rank | Bowler | Speed (km/h) | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoaib Akhtar (PAK) | 161.3 | England | 2003 |
| 2 | Shaun Tait (AUS) | 161.1 | England | 2010 |
| 3 | Brett Lee (AUS) | 160.8 | New Zealand | 2005 |
| 4 | Jeff Thomson (AUS) | 160.6 | West Indies | 1975 |
| 5 | Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 160.4 | New Zealand | 2015 |
| 6 | Andy Roberts (WI) | 159.5 | Australia | 1975 |
| 7 | Fidel Edwards (WI) | 157.7 | South Africa | 2003 |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson (AUS) | 156.8 | England | 2013 |
| 9 | Mohammad Sami (PAK) | 156.4 | Zimbabwe | 2003 |
| 9 | Shane Bond (NZ) | 156.4 | India | 2003 |
1. Shoaib Akhtar – 161.3 km/h
Shoaib Akhtar, the “Rawalpindi Express”, is the only bowler recorded above 100 mph in an international match. His 161.3 km/h delivery came against England at Newlands, Cape Town, on 22 February 2003 during the World Cup, with Nick Knight on strike. The ICC does not officially ratify speed-gun readings, but the delivery is widely accepted as the fastest ever bowled. Akhtar took 444 international wickets in 224 matches for Pakistan.
2. Shaun Tait – 161.1 km/h
Australia’s Shaun Tait came within 0.2 km/h of Akhtar’s record with a 161.1 km/h delivery against England at Lord’s in 2010. His slingy action generated extreme pace but also led to frequent injuries, and he finished with 95 international wickets in 59 matches between 2005 and 2016.
3. Brett Lee – 160.8 km/h
Brett Lee regularly bowled above 150 km/h for more than a decade. His fastest, 160.8 km/h, came against New Zealand at Napier in 2005. He finished with 718 international wickets in 322 matches, one of the highest tallies by an Australian fast bowler.
4. Jeff Thomson – 160.6 km/h
Jeff Thomson terrorised batters in the 1970s. He was clocked at 160.6 km/h against West Indies in Perth in 1975, using the speed-testing equipment of the time. Many who faced him believe he was even quicker at his peak. He took 255 wickets in 101 internationals between 1972 and 1985.
5. Mitchell Starc – 160.4 km/h
Left-armer Mitchell Starc is the fastest bowler of the current era on this list. He hit 160.4 km/h with a yorker to Ross Taylor in the Perth Test against New Zealand in 2015. Starc was player of the tournament at the 2015 World Cup, Australia’s fifth title, and was player of the series in the 2025-26 Ashes with 31 wickets.
6. Andy Roberts – 159.5 km/h
Andy Roberts led the great West Indian pace attacks of the 1970s and was clocked at 159.5 km/h against Australia in 1975. He was part of the West Indies teams that won the 1975 and 1979 World Cups.
7. Fidel Edwards – 157.7 km/h
Barbadian Fidel Edwards made his name as one of the quickest bowlers of the Akhtar-Lee-Tait era. His fastest delivery, 157.7 km/h, came against South Africa in 2003.
8. Mitchell Johnson – 156.8 km/h
Mitchell Johnson was at his most destructive in the 2013-14 Ashes, when he clocked 156.8 km/h during the fourth Test at Melbourne and ran through England’s batting. He took 590 international wickets in 256 matches and won the 2015 World Cup with Australia.
9. Mohammad Sami – 156.4 km/h
Pakistan’s Mohammad Sami was capable of extreme pace, though his career was in and out of the side over 15 years. His fastest recorded delivery was 156.4 km/h against Zimbabwe in a 2003 ODI.
9. Shane Bond – 156.4 km/h
New Zealand’s quickest bowler, Shane Bond, matched Sami with 156.4 km/h against India at the 2003 World Cup. Injuries limited him to 18 Tests, 82 ODIs and 20 T20Is between 2001 and 2010, in which he took 87, 147 and 25 wickets respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who bowled the fastest ball in international cricket?
Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest recorded delivery in international cricket, 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph), against England at the 2003 World Cup.
Who is the fastest Australian bowler ever?
Shaun Tait holds the Australian record with 161.1 km/h against England at Lord’s in 2010, just ahead of Brett Lee’s 160.8 km/h.
Has anyone bowled over 100 mph in international cricket?
Shoaib Akhtar is the only bowler recorded above 100 mph in an international match, with 161.3 km/h (100.2 mph) in 2003. The ICC does not officially ratify speed-gun readings.
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