Cricket has always had room for excitement, but nothing gets fans off their seats like raw pace. A ball speed past the batter at over 150 km/h? Now thats drama. Over the years, we have seen a handful of bowlers who did not just bowl fast, they bowled scary fast. This list is all about those lightning quick bowlers who have left their mark on the game.
Lets dive into the top 10 fastest bowlers in cricket history. These guys did not just deliver the ball—they launched missiles.
1. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) – 161.3 km/h
The king of speed, no contest. Shoaib Akhtar, also famously called the Rawalpindi Express, was and is still considered to have one of the fastest deliveries ever (161.3 km/h), when he bowled in the 2003 World Cup against England. His bowling was all fire and aggression; batters were afraid of him. They were afraid of him most of the time.
2. Brett Lee (Australia) – 161.1 km/h
Smooth run-up, classic action, and raw pace, Brett Lee was every bit the superstar. He once clocked 161.1 km/h in 2005. Besides the speed, what made him deadly was his accuracy and the ability to deliver toe crushing yorkers.
3. Shaun Tait (Australia) – 161.1 km/h
Shaun Tait was a streaky bowler, but he was capable of bowling fast. He could bowl at the same maximum speed as Brett Lee at 161.1 km/h. Shaun played limited international cricket, but however much international cricket he played, you sure could not miss him.
4. Jeff Thomson (Australia) – 160.6 km/h
In the 1970s, Jeff Thomson shockingly changed the game of cricket. Thomson slingy bowling motion produced a combination of weird angles as well as speed. Thomson was timed at 160.6 km/h (99 mph), but many claim he was even faster than the radar could register.
5. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 160.4 km/h
Todays fast bowlers Mitchell Starc has a raw fast bowler speed coupled with honest swing. Starc produced 160.4 km/h (99.6 mph) against New Zealand in 2015. His yorkers were toe crushing authentic.
6. Andy Roberts (West Indies) – 159.5 km/h
Roberts was part of that great West Indies fast bowling generation. He is clever and quick (you could see him easily reaching speeds close to 159.5 km/h), but it was not only the pace, it was how he varied his speeds and used his skills to outsmart batters.
7. Fidel Edwards (West Indies) – 157.7 km/h
Short run up, fast arm, serious heat. Fidel Edwards hit 157.7 km/h at his peak and was all fire and fight. Injuries may have slowed him down, but when fit, he was one of the fastest in the game.
8. Mohammad Sami (Pakistan) – 156.4 km/h
Mohammad Sami is probably the most overlooked bowler in the rankings for fastest bowlers – the speeds he frequently achieved were the sort most bowlers only aspire to. Sami bowled at 156.4 km/h and bowled the ball with swing at that speed. With a bit more luck and fitness, Sami career could have been far more valuable.
9. Shane Bond (New Zealand) – 156.4 km/h
Shane Bond was a special talent, and not one typically found in New Zealand. He was fast, he swung the ball, and he had a good idea of where the ball was going most of the time. He was measured at 156.4 kph best. He got injured and shortened his career, but he will never be forgotten for what he did by those who saw him bowl.
10. Jofra Archer (England) – 155.0 km/h
Archer brings order to the madness. His quickest ball was 155 km/h, and he is still going. He is remarkable because he makes it look so easy, as if he is not even trying, and the ball just whizzes out of his hand.
Final Words For Fastest Bowlers in Cricket History
Fast bowling is one of the most thrilling ability to see in cricket. It does not matter if it’s Shoaib ball, Lee effortless speed, or Starc swinging rockets – these were all exciting to many generations of children. Pace is so much more than maths – it is an attitude. All of these blokes had plenty of that.
While these bowlers made history with their speed, todays cricket has its bowling superstars. Check out our latest update on the best bowlers in the world in 2025 to see who is leading the ranking now.
