The Indian Premier League (IPL) is famous for its six-hitting carnage and high-scoring thrillers – but nothing gets a crowd going like raw express pace. Speed guns are known to test slow bowlers and with quicks in IPL prolonging its very existence, we have seen some of the fastest balls in the history of franchise cricket over the years.
From foreign legends to Indian teenage sensations, these bowlers have single-handedly turned matches with raw speed. In this extensive blog, we cover everything about the fastest ball in IPL, have listed down 10 fastest deliveries recorded of all times, and explain each bowler’s moment of speed in plain cricket-bowling-fan friendly words.
Fastest Balls in IPL 2025
| No | Player Name | IPL Team | Ball Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockie Ferguson | PBKS | 153.2 |
| 2 | Jofra Archer | RR | 152.3 |
| 3 | Anrich Nortje | KKR | 151.6 |
| 3 | Kagiso Rabada | GT | 151.6 |
| 4 | Anrich Nortje | KKR | 151.5 |
| 5 | Jofra Archer | RR | 151.3 |
Top 10 Fastest Balls in IPL History
| Rank | Bowler | IPL Team | Speed (km/h) | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaun Tait | Rajasthan Royals | 157.71 | 2011 |
| 2 | Lockie Ferguson | Gujarat Titans | 157.3 | 2022 |
| 3 | Umran Malik | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 157 | 2022 |
| 4 | Mayank Yadav | Lucknow Super Giants | 156.7 | 2024 |
| 5 | Mayank Yadav | Lucknow Super Giants | 155.8 | 2024 |
| 6 | Anrich Nortje | Delhi Capitals | 156.22 | 2020 |
| 7 | Anrich Nortje | Delhi Capitals | 155.1 | 2020 |
| 8 | Dale Steyn | Deccan Chargers | 154.4 | 2012 |
| 9 | Kagiso Rabada | Punjab Kings | 154.23 | 2019 |
| 10 | Mitchell Johnson | Mumbai Indians | 152 | 2013 |
Shaun Tait – 157.71 km/h
Shaun Tait has still held the crown for the fastest ball in IPL history. That season it was the Australian speedster who sent down a 157.71 km/h delivery that wowed fans from coast to coast. Reputed for his slingy action and raw aggression, Tait injected real fear into the IPL and set a speed benchmark that has stayed put.
Lockie Ferguson – 157.3 km/h
IPL 2022: Lockie Ferguson came within a whisker of breaking Tait’s record with 157.3 km/h Ferguson, who played for Gujarat Titans, paired express pace with control. His capacity to bowl thunderbolts in the clutch made him one of the most dangerous fast men of modern IPL.
Umran Malik – 157.0 km/h
The rise of Umran Malik is one of the great stories in IPL history. He also turned out to be the fastest Indian bowler in the league, clocking 157.0 km/h for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022. His sheer pace, extracted with limited run-up, left batters in disbelief and validated that India can hatch hardy express pacers.
Mayank Yadav – 156.7 km/h
Mayank Yadav, a 2024 IPL debutant made an instant impact with a 156.7 km/h delivery. Representing Lucknow Super Giants, he was unfazed by seasoned batters. There was a new Indian pace darling of the IPL that day His speed, bounce and fearless attitude heralded his arrival as a new Indian pace sensation.
Mayank Yadav – 155.8 km/h (2nd Time)
Yadav features twice in the top-10 list, a measure of his all-round reliability firing at extreme pace. His 155.8 km/h delivery that same season proved the earlier speed was no fluke. It’s rare for a debutant to top the fastest ball in IPL charts and it is a pointer to a very bright future indeed.
Anrich Nortje – 156.22 km/h
One of the fastest balls delivered in IPL 2020 came from the armory of Anrich Nortje for Delhi Capitals. Slick of pace and high of bounce, Nortje is known to unsettle even the best batters. His bowling speed of 156.22 km/h was a testament to his capacity to blend pace with precision in the intensity-riddled format of T20 cricket.
Anrich Nortje – 155.1 km/h (2nd Time)
Nortje’s second appearance at 155.1 km/h suggests his consistency among the great fast bowlers. Only a handful of pacers can consistently reach such marks across a number of matches. His talent to come forward and perform in frontline matches was truly remarkable as the shooting sensation changed the course of IPL 2020 for Delhi Capitals’ winning campaign which swept away all big names and transformed him into a renowned name globally.
Dale Steyn – 154.4 km/h
Even at the shortest format, Dale Steyn’s class shone. Steyn bowled on the quick side at 154.4 km/h in IPL 2012 for Deccan Chargers and mixed sinister pace with swing and seam movement. Known more for precision than outright speed, this delivery showed he still had genuine express pace.
Kagiso Rabada – 154.23 km/h
IPL 2019 had resulted in Rabada’s explosive potential being on display with a delivery of 154.23 km/h. Rabada was aggressive and clever in his bowling for Punjab Kings. Combined with his ability to hammer the opposition when the situation demands, he is one of IPL’s most complete fast bowlers.
Mitchell Johnson – 152.0 km/h
At number one, Mitchell Johnson registered a thunderbolt of 152.0 km/h for Mumbai Indians. Famed for his menacing bouncers and left-arm trajectory, Johnson introduced textbook fast-bowling hostility into the IPL. His pace was demanding enough even late in his career to worry the best batters.
Why the Fastest Ball in IPL Matters
The IPL speed gun might record the fastest ball, but that is not all there is to it. Ours is an extreme pace which makes batsmen rush their shots, restricts his scoring options and leads to wicket-taking chances. In a format where batting reigns supreme, any firing bowler who clocks north of 150 km/h intact would always enjoy a huge psychological advantage.
These record deliveries exemplify the fast bowling evolution in T20 cricket. From Shaun Tait’s famed 157.71 km/h missile to the emergence of Indian express bowlers like Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav, IPL is a worldwide platform where raw speed provides entertainment to millions every season.
Conclusion
The fastest ball in IPL history is the story of how pace bowling continues to evolve in the world’s biggest T20 league. From the peerless benchmark set by Shaun Tait in 2011, to Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav pushing the envelope of pace for India today, IPL has truly been a proving ground for express speed. But these rapid-fire turnarounds are most certainly not just records, they represent visions of fearlessness and athletic excellence, and the game plan to make even the world’s best batters quiver in their boots. With technology, fitness and training getting better, fans can anticipate even faster balls from a fresh line of names pushing the limits in upcoming seasons of IPL.
FAQs Fastest Ball in IPL History
1. What is the fastest ball in IPL history?
The fastest ball in IPL history was bowled at 157.71 km/h by Shaun Tait while playing for Rajasthan Royals in the 2011 season.
2. Who is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL?
Umran Malik holds the record for the fastest ball by an Indian in IPL history, clocking 157.0 km/h for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022.
3. Has any bowler come close to breaking Shaun Tait’s record?
Yes, Lockie Ferguson came very close when he bowled at 157.3 km/h in IPL 2022, making it the second-fastest delivery ever recorded in the league.
4. Which IPL season saw the most 150+ km/h deliveries?
The 2020s have seen a surge in express pace, especially IPL 2020, 2022, and 2024, with bowlers like Anrich Nortje, Umran Malik, and Mayank Yadav consistently crossing the 150 km/h mark.
5. Can the fastest ball in IPL record be broken in the future?
Absolutely. With better fitness standards, advanced training methods, and young fast bowlers emerging globally, it is very possible that the fastest ball in IPL record could be broken in upcoming seasons.
