As cricket is evolving day by day, batters and bowlers are changing their playing styles as well. With the introduction of T20 cricket, fans have raised their expectations for the game. The batsman is playing at a strike of 150. Competition between fast bowlers is going on. We have seen many fast bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar Brett Lee, who used to bowl at 155 kmph. But many spinners bowl at the speed of medium pacers. So, let’s look at a list of the ten fastest balls bowled by spinners in cricket history.
1. Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi is considered one of the best six-hitters this game has ever seen. He is 5th highest wickets taker in ODI cricket. He has the record of most sixes for Pakistan’s Cricket team. While many medium-pacer bowlers struggle to bowl at 130 kmph, Shahid Afridi has a history for the fastest ball that a spinner has ever bowled. That happened in a T20 match against New Zealand. In the 14th over, Shahid Afridi bowled a 134 kmph ball to Tim Southee, which he got dismissed.
2. Anil Kumble
During Anil Kumble’s playing days, he was known as “Jumbo” because of his fast deliveries like a jumbo jet. He is the most successful spinner in India. Anil Kumble has taken 619 wickets in the test and 337 wickets in ODIs, which is the most wickets taken by any Indian in these formats. He is known for his accuracy and speed. In an ODI match played against England, Anil Kumble bowled his career’s fastest bowl at 118 kmph to Marcus Trescothik, which hit the wickets, and he went back to the pavilion.
3. Kuldeep Yadav
India’s China man, Kuldeep Yadav, is currently the best spinner in the world. We cannot forget the unplayable bowl that he bowled to Babar Azam in the 2019 World Cup. So far, Kuldeep has played 95 ODIs and 32 T20Is, in which he has taken 160 and 52 wickets. In every stage, Kuldeep Yadav has proved himself. But amazingly, he bowled the fastest ball in this IPL. In IPL 2023, Kuldeep bowled a ball at 117 kmph to Andre Russell. In fact, Russell was also surprised by this delivery.
4. Piyush Chawla
Piyush Chawla is one of the leading wickets in IPL history. Along with the variations in balls, Piyush is famous for his flighted deliveries. He can change the game on his own. He was a member of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. However, he bowled one of the fastest balls bowled by spinners. In an IPL game against Rajasthan, Piyush bowled a stunning bowl to Shane Watson at a speed of 117 kmph, which even surprised Watson.
5. Krunal Pandya
There was a time when the Pandya Brothers used to play for an identical team. Both Hardik and Krunal played a crucial for Mumbai Indians. Krunal Pandya was also the Man of the Match in 2017’s IPL Finals. As of now, he is playing for the Lucknow. But in IPL 2020, when Mumbai and Delhi Capitals played 1st qualifier, Krunal Pandya shocked the power-hitter Stoinis by delivering the ball at 112.5 kmph. Marcus Stoinis reacted to the ball by taking a run.
6. Shadab Khan
Pakistan’s current vice-captain and all-rounder, Shadab Khan, always plays a crucial in every game. He is the best fielder in his team, along with the balance he provides to Pakistan. Shadab can make a run at a fast pace and can take two or three crucial wickets in middle overs. He is a 3-dimensional player of Pakistan. He bowls leg-spin and can ball quick googly. In the World Cup 2019 against England, Shadab bowled a ball to Joe Root at a speed of 111 kmph.
7. Varun Chakrabarty
Varun Chakrabarty is also known as the “Mystery Spinner”. But he also has bowled one of the fastest spin bowls. This incident happened in IPL 2022. The match was played between Lucknow and Kolkata, and in the 8th over, Varun bowled a no-ball to Quinton Decock, and the umpire gave a free hit. Next ball, Varun bowled a bouncer at a speed of 103 mph. By this, all the team players were shocked. Even Quinton Decock himself was shocked by the speed of the bowl.
8. Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan is one of the best bowlers of T20 cricket. He is also the recipient of “T20I Player of the Decade”. Rashid is a leg-spinner with quick arm action, which makes it more complicated for batters to play. Many batters have considered him as one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world. Rashid Khan’s one of the biggest strengths in bowling is his speed. In IPL, he has often bowled at a speed of more than 100 kmph. He said that I love to bowl at a higher pace.
9. Ravindra Jadeja
India’s reputed all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, is one of the perfect all-rounders in today’s era. He can bat in challenging situations, as there are several instances in which Jadeja has scored centuries. In terms of fielding, there is no doubt that he is the best fielder in the world. Ravindra Jadeja is a left-arm orthodox spinner who is known for his accuracy and speed. His speed makes it difficult for batters to play him. There are many instances in which Jadeja is casually bowling at a rate of 97 mph. His top bowling speed touches 100 kmph.
10. Marlon Samuels
West Indie’s two-times T20 World Cup-winning player, Marlon Samuels, is a right-handed batsman and right-arm off-spin bowler. Many of us know Marlon Samuels because of his destructive batting performances and a crucial knock in the 2016 finals. But as a spinner, he used to ball yorkers at a reasonable speed, which made it difficult for batters to tackle him. Unfortunately, his bowling action was banned in 2013.
