New Delhi: There was a time when cricket used to be a batting-dominated game both on and off the field as fans and even the media shed spotlight on the batters who hit the bowlers out of the park. Although many great bowlers came forth during the mighty 80s era of cricket, the arrival of Shoaib Akhtar for Pakistan brought something unique. At a time and even now when players tweak their playing style and attitude to remain likeable, Akhtar’s on-field presence was always without those shackles.
A right-arm fast bowler who debuted for Pakistan in 1997, little did any batter know that the upcoming years of their career might get a bit tricky. It was Akhtar’s pace that defied the speed logic in cricket as clocking 150 kmph was a cakewalk for him. There were hardly any deliveries that saw the time stamp below that in his prime. He knew the truest essence of fast bowling while knowing about all the prominent styles.
It seemed Akhtar remained of the opinion that fast bowling is beyond any contemporary style. It is about giving it your all that the batter doesn’t even get the time to react to the ball, only to see his stumps in a mess. And that is what the fastest bowler in the world did. Having earned the moniker of “Rawalpindi Express”, it was bestowed to him for a reason as he smashed the record of the fastest ball in the world and consistently bowled at speeds over 150.
As Akhtar celebrates his 49th birthday, we take a trip down memory lane to revisit a few of his top fastest deliveries that made him the world’s fastest bowler ever.
Here are Shoaib Akhtar’s top five fastest deliveries in international cricket –
1. 161.3 kmph (Pakistan vs England) ODI World Cup 2003, Cape Town
2. 159.5 kmph (Pakistan vs England) ODI World Cup 2003, Cape Town
3. 158.4 kmph (Pakistan vs England) ODI World Cup 2003, Cape Town
4. 155.2 kmph (Pakistan vs Holland) ODI World Cup 2003, Paarl
5. 154.3 kmph (Pakistan vs Australia) 2nd Test, Hobart, 1999
It is indeed astonishing that three of his top five fastest deliveries came not just in the same match but in the same over as well. It was the 2003 ODI World Cup match between Pakistan and England where Akhtar was bowling his second over of the spell. Left-handed batter Nick Knight was on the crease during the fourth over of the match as Akhtar tormented him with six back-to-back 150+ thunderbolts.
But it was the final delivery of the over that clocked 161.3 kmph and etched itself in the history books as the fastest delivery ever bowled in cricket. The over was a maiden as Knight had no answers to the speedy throws sent down to him. By the time Akhtar finished the over, he didn’t just bowl the fastest delivery but also left an indelible mark on the game.
Here’s a clip from the over –
Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest delivery 20 years ago today, and the record still stands 🔥
Who will break Shoaib’s record? pic.twitter.com/8mfPUxnvOZ
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) February 22, 2023
Will Akhtar’s record be broken?
The record still stands tall after more than 20 years and is unlikely to be broken for several reasons. With the focus of cricket shifting to T20s, a batter-dominated format, the scope of bowling reduces automatically. Most importantly, there are certain natural limitations in every fast bowler. What Akhtar comprised of was a slinging bowling action with a muscular physique that made speed his natural game.
Akhtar consistently bowled over 150, a number that is hard to touch in the current scenario. It is a rarity today as the average speed of current bowlers lies within 140-150 when bowling with all they have got. To beat Akhtar’s record, one would require a rare combination of talent, hard work, and favourable conditions, which makes it a tough challenge.
As Shoaib Akhtar celebrates his 49th birthday, we take a trip down the memory lane to revisit a few of his top fastest deliveries that earned him the moniker “Rawalpindi Express”. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
