In IPL, there have been many of the fastest and fastest bowling spells in T20 cricket. With each passing season, the fans eagerly wait for the speedsters to bowl thunderbolts that go beyond 150 km/h. Right from the record-breaking delivery of Shaun Tait to the lightning-pace of Lockie Ferguson, Umran Malik to the latest pace sensations Mayank Yadav and Ashok Sharma, the IPL has always been the platform where fast bowlers challenge the boundaries of speed.
Are you looking for the fastest ball in IPL history? In this guide, we discuss everything that you need to know about the fastest deliveries recorded in IPL history. Discover the fastest ball in IPL history, top fastest bowlers, record-breaking speeds, match details, and amazing bowling performances from IPL records.
Fastest Ball in IPL Overview
| Details | Information |
| Fastest Ball in IPL History | 157.71 km/h |
| Bowler | Shaun Tait |
| Team | Rajasthan Royals |
| Against | Delhi Daredevils (Now Delhi Capitals) |
| IPL Season | 2011 |
| Fastest Indian Bowler | Umran Malik (157.00 km/h) |
| Speed Measurement | Radar Gun Technology |
| Speed Above 150 km/h | Considered Elite Pace |
What Is the Fastest Ball in IPL History?
The fastest delivery ever bowled in IPL history has come from Shaun Tait who delivered a ball of an astounding speed of 157.71 km/h while playing for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Daredevils in the 2011 IPL season.
More than a decade later, this remarkable delivery still holds the record for being the fastest delivery in IPL history. Despite the presence of many world-class fast bowlers in the tournament every season, no one has succeeded in beating Tait’s amazing speed.
Fast pacers like Lockie Ferguson, Anrich Nortje, Umran Malik, Mayank Yadav, and young fast bowler Ashok Sharma have crossed the 150 km/h mark repeatedly but Shaun Tait’s record remains invincible going into the 2026 season.
Top 10 Fastest Balls in IPL History
| Rank | Bowler | Speed | Team | IPL Season |
| 1 | Shaun Tait | 157.71 km/h | Rajasthan Royals | 2011 |
| 2 | Lockie Ferguson | 157.30 km/h | Gujarat Titans | 2022 |
| 3 | Umran Malik | 157.00 km/h | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2022 |
| 4 | Mayank Yadav | 156.70 km/h | Lucknow Super Giants | 2024 |
| 5 | Anrich Nortje | 156.22 km/h | Delhi Capitals | 2020 |
| 6 | Umran Malik | 156.00 km/h | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2022 |
| 7 | Mayank Yadav | 155.80 km/h | Lucknow Super Giants | 2024 |
| 8 | Anrich Nortje | 155.21 km/h | Delhi Capitals | 2020 |
| 9 | Dale Steyn | 154.40 km/h | Deccan Chargers | 2012 |
| 10 | Ashok Sharma | 154.20 km/h | Gujarat Titans | 2026 |
Shaun Tait – The Fastest Bowler in IPL History
Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait is the owner of the fastest delivery ever recorded in IPL history. Renowned for his ferocious bowling action and great speed, Shaun Tait has always been bowling above 150 km/h during his entire career.
In 2011 IPL season, Shaun Tait bowled a delivery recorded to be at the speed of 157.71 km/h, setting a record which has not been beaten until today. He has only played a few seasons of IPL but his name has continued to appear at the top of all-time speed charts of IPL.
Shaun Tait IPL Record
- Fastest Delivery: 157.71 km/h
- IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
- Opponent: Delhi Daredevils
- Season: 2011
- Record Status: Still Unbroken
Lockie Ferguson – Closest to Breaking the Record
Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand has come extremely close to breaking Shaun Tait’s longest standing record in IPL 2022 season.
Playing for Gujarat Titans, Lockie Ferguson bowled a thunderous delivery at 157.30 km/h in the final match, just falling short of the all-time IPL record of Shaun Tait by less than half a kilometre per hour. His blazing pace was responsible for the success of Gujarat Titans in their inaugural season.
Lockie Ferguson Record
- Fastest Delivery: 157.30 km/h
- Team: Gujarat Titans
- IPL Season: 2022
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Umran Malik – Fastest Indian Bowler in IPL
Umran Malik has become famous because of his raw and uncontrolled pace. The fast pacer from Jammu & Kashmir has been impressive in crossing the 150 km/h mark easily while representing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
In 2022 IPL season, Umran Malik recorded a delivery at 157.00 km/h, becoming the fastest Indian fast bowler in IPL history and third-fastest overall on the all-time IPL chart.
Umran Malik Speed Record
- Fastest Ball: 157.00 km/h
- Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
- IPL Season: 2022
- Record: Fastest Indian Bowler in IPL History
Mayank Yadav’s Record-Breaking Pace
Mayank Yadav has emerged as the biggest pace sensation of IPL 2024 season. Playing for Lucknow Super Giants, Mayank Yadav has created an impression right in his debut matches with his impressive capability of consistently bowling above 155 km/h.
Mayank’s fastest delivery of 156.70 km/h has put him straightaway in the fourth position on the all-time IPL speed chart.
Mayank Yadav Record
- Fastest Delivery: 156.70 km/h
- Team: Lucknow Super Giants
- Season: 2024
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Anrich Nortje – One of IPL’s Fastest Pacers
One of the fastest bowlers in IPL has always been South African pacer Anrich Nortje. Representing Delhi Capitals, he has often crossed 150 km/h in IPL and troubled batters with his aggressive pace. His quickest IPL delivery has been recorded at 156.22 km/h during the 2020 IPL season.
Nortje Speed Record
- Fastest Ball: 156.22 km/h
- Team: Delhi Capitals
- Season: 2020
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Dale Steyn – The Legendary Speed Machine
South African legendary player Dale Steyn has been a nightmare for batsmen when in his prime. Even in the early seasons of IPL, Steyn proved why he is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of all times. In the 2012 season of IPL, playing for Deccan Chargers, he unleashed a delivery at 154.40 km/h. His out-and-out pace coupled with deadly swing demolished many formidable batting line-ups.
Dale Steyn Record
- Fastest Delivery: 154.40 km/h
- Team: Deccan Chargers
- IPL Season: 2012
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Ashok Sharma – The New Speed Sensation (IPL 2026)
The newest addition to the list of the fastest fast bowlers is Ashok Sharma. Representing Gujarat Titans in the 2026 season, Sharma shocked everybody by reaching an unbelievable speed of 154.20 km/h. Thanks to his natural ability to generate high speed with his fast bowling action, he becomes one of the best young talents in Indian cricket.
Ashok Sharma Record
- Fastest Delivery: 154.20 km/h
- Team: Gujarat Titans
- Season: 2026
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Kagiso Rabada – Consistency Meeting Extreme Pace
Kagiso Rabada has been the most successful and fearsome overseas pacer to play in the IPL. In the 2019 season when representing Delhi Capitals, Rabada was on top of his pace, constantly frightening batsmen with a ball clocked at over 150 km/h. His fastest delivery was recorded at 154.23 km/h against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Kagiso Rabada Record
- Fastest Delivery: 154.23 km/h
- Team: Delhi Capitals
- IPL Season: 2019
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Varun Aaron – India’s Early Pace Pioneer
Years before the emergence of Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav, Varun Aaron was the representative of Indian pace. Being known as a bowler giving preference to speed rather than anything else, Varun Aaron was hitting top numbers in his speed gun results. Representing Delhi Daredevils, Varun Aaron recorded a remarkable speed of 152.50 km/h.
Varun Aaron Record
- Fastest Delivery: 152.50 km/h
- Team: Delhi Daredevils
- IPL Season: 2014
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Umesh Yadav – Powerhouse of Raw Indian Pace
Umesh Yadav has been the most reliable powerplay bowler in the IPL with his strong physique and heavy deliveries. In 2013 playing for Delhi Daredevils, Umesh amazed everybody with a top speed of 152.20 km/h. His ability to bowl late outswingers with such speed resulted in many important breakthroughs during his long IPL career.
Umesh Yadav Record
- Fastest Delivery: 152.20 km/h
- Team: Delhi Daredevils
- IPL Season: 2013
- Bowling Style: Right-arm Fast
Fastest Indian Bowlers in IPL
In recent years Indian fast bowling has become significantly better and some young pacers regularly achieve over 150 km/h speed, thus, India became the producer of genuine express fast bowlers.
| Rank | Indian Bowler | Highest Speed | Team |
| 1 | Umran Malik | 157.00 km/h | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| 2 | Mayank Yadav | 156.70 km/h | Lucknow Super Giants |
| 3 | Ashok Sharma | 154.20 km/h | Gujarat Titans |
| 4 | Varun Aaron | 152.50 km/h | Delhi Daredevils |
| 5 | Umesh Yadav | 152.20 km/h | Delhi Daredevils |
Fastest Ball in IPL Season-wise
Each IPL season provides amazing performances of fast bowlers, but not every of them managed to make it into the ultimate record books. Season-wise list of the fastest bowlers of each year looks like this:
| IPL Season | Fastest Bowler | Speed |
| 2011 | Shaun Tait | 157.71 km/h |
| 2020 | Anrich Nortje | 156.22 km/h |
| 2021 | Umran Malik | 152.95 km/h |
| 2022 | Lockie Ferguson | 157.30 km/h |
| 2023 | Lockie Ferguson | 154.10 km/h |
| 2024 | Mayank Yadav | 156.70 km/h |
| 2025 | Lockie Ferguson | 153.20 km/h |
| 2026 | Ashok Sharma | 154.20 km/h |
How Is Bowling Speed Measured in IPL?
Speed of each delivery in IPL is measured with the help of radar guns installed behind the sightscreen. This method measures the speed of the ball at the point of its release, thus, the result of the speed test is shown in kilometres per hour (km/h).
On its way forward, the ball slows down due to air resistance, therefore, it is the fastest when it leaves the bowler’s hand.
Why Can Some Bowlers Cross 150 km/h?
Not many fast bowlers are able to bowl balls faster than 150 km/h. Their speed is generated due to the presence of natural athleticism, explosive shoulder/core strength, efficient bowling action (hyperextension/whip effect), exceptional fitness and technical experience.
Maintaining this speed through the whole IPL season is very hard due to the high physical load on shoulders, knees and ankles.
Interesting Facts About the Fastest Ball in IPL
- Shaun Tait’s Unbroken Era: Shaun Tait still holds the record for the fastest ball in IPL history with 157.71 km/h, a record untouched for over 15 years.
- The Glitch Incident: In IPL 2024, Gerald Coetzee’s delivery was wrongly displayed as 157.4 km/h due to a technology glitch, which was later omitted from official pace charts.
- What About Spinners? The fastest ball ever recorded by a spinner in cricket history belongs to Shahid Afridi, who clocked a massive 134 km/h delivery. In the IPL, spinners like Anil Kumble and Piyush Chawla have occasionally touched 110+ km/h with quick flippers.
- Overseas Dominance: Most deliveries above 155 km/h in IPL history have been bowled by overseas fast bowlers, though India’s Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav are quickly bridging the gap.
IPL Fastest Ball Records Summary
- Fastest Ball in IPL History: Shaun Tait – 157.71 km/h
- Second Fastest Ball: Lockie Ferguson – 157.30 km/h
- Fastest Indian Bowler: Umran Malik – 157.00 km/h
- Fastest Ball in IPL 2026: Ashok Sharma – 154.20 km/h
- Speed Measuring System: Radar Gun Technology
IPL Fastest Ball Quiz
IPL Fastest Ball Quiz (10 Questions Version)
1. Who bowled the fastest ball in IPL history?
A) Lockie Ferguson
B) Umran Malik
C) Shaun Tait ✓
D) Dale Steyn
2. What is the fastest delivery ever recorded in IPL history?
A) 156.22 km/h
B) 157.71 km/h ✓
C) 155.90 km/h
D) 158.10 km/h
3. Who is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL history?
A) Mohammed Shami
B) Varun Aaron
C) Umran Malik ✓
D) Jasprit Bumrah
4. Which IPL team did Dale Steyn represent when he bowled his 154.40 km/h delivery?
A) Royal Challengers Bangalore
B) Deccan Chargers ✓
C) Sunrisers Hyderabad
D) Gujarat Lions
5. Which bowler clocked a staggering 156.70 km/h during IPL 2024?
A) Lockie Ferguson
B) Anrich Nortje
C) Mayank Yadav ✓
D) Gerald Coetzee
6. Which technology is officially used in the IPL to measure the speed of each delivery?
A) Hawkeye
B) Radar Gun ✓
C) Snickometer
D) Hot Spot
7. In which year did New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson clock his second-fastest IPL ball of 157.30 km/h?
A) 2020
B) 2021
C) 2022 ✓
D) 2024
8. Against which team did Shaun Tait bowl the all-time fastest delivery of the IPL?
A) Mumbai Indians
B) Kolkata Knight Riders
C) Delhi Daredevils ✓
D) Chennai Super Kings
9. Who is the new Indian speed sensation who clocked 154.20 km/h in IPL 2026?
A) Kartik Tyagi
B) Prasidh Krishna
C) Ashok Sharma ✓
D) Mohsin Khan
10. At what point does the Radar Gun capture the maximum speed of a cricket ball?
A) Just after bouncing on the pitch
B) Right at the moment of release from the hand ✓
C) When it reaches the batsman
D) When it crosses the boundary
Conclusion
Fast bowling has always been one of the major attractions of the Indian Premier League and each season brings new fast sensations challenging the old records. Even though there are some world-class fast bowlers who were able to maintain their speed constantly over 150 km/h, but Shaun Tait’s 157.71 km/h ball is the ultimate benchmark.
With the rise of stars like Mayank Yadav, Ashok Sharma and other fast bowlers, it is safe to say that in the future seasons of IPL, there will be even more interesting challenges in speed bowling.
FAQs
What is the fastest ball in IPL history?
The fastest delivery in IPL history was bowled by Shaun Tait, who clocked 157.71 km/h during the 2011 season.
Who is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL?
Umran Malik holds the record for the fastest delivery by an Indian bowler in IPL history with 157.00 km/h.
Has anyone broken Shaun Tait’s IPL speed record?
No. As of the 2026 IPL season records, Shaun Tait’s 157.71 km/h delivery remains the undisputed fastest ball ever bowled in the tournament.
Which bowler came closest to Shaun Tait’s record?
Lockie Ferguson came closest by bowling at 157.30 km/h during the IPL 2022 final.
What was Mayank Yadav’s fastest delivery in IPL?
Mayank Yadav recorded a speed of 156.70 km/h during the IPL 2024 season playing for LSG.
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