The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed some incredible fast-bowling performances since its first season in 2008. Legendary and up and coming fast bowlers such as Shaun Tait, Lockie Ferguson, Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav have received recognition for their outstanding pace. These fast bowlers have consistently gone over the 150 kmph mark.
Shaun Tait has set the bar high with the quickest delivery ever made in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he reached a speed of 157.71 kmph for the Rajasthan Royals in 2011. To this day, his record stands as the fastest delivery ever recorded in IPL history. Ashok Sharma from the Gujarat Titans was able to join the fastest deliveries in IPL history in 2026, reaching a top speed of 154.2 kmph.
In this article, you will find the top ten quickest deliveries in IPL history with each delivery’s speed, the name of the bowler who delivered it, the team he was playing for when he made that delivery, the year/season he bowled that delivery and any other relevant information.
Who Bowled the Fastest Delivery in IPL History?
- Shaun Tait
- All-time record holder
- 157.71 kmph
- Rajasthan Royals | IPL 2011
Shaun Tait delivered the quickest ball ever recorded in the Indian Premier League (IPL), during a match with the Delhi Daredevils played at Jaipur in 2011. The extraordinary speed of his delivery has established a standard for other fast bowlers participating in the IPL.
The fast bowler from Australia is well-known for how aggressively he bowls and the amount of speed that he can produce. In fact, one of his deliveries reached a speed of 157.71 km/hr which put him ahead of many top-ranked fast bowlers in the world.
Lockie Ferguson is in second place at 157.3 kmph, followed by India’s Umran Malik in third place at 157 kmph.
Top 10 Fastest Deliveries in IPL History (2026)
| Rank | Player | Fastest delivery | Team | IPL season |
| 1 | Shaun Tait | 157.71 kmph | RR | 2011 |
| 2 | Lockie Ferguson | 157.30 kmph | GT | 2022 |
| 3 | Umran Malik | 157.00 kmph | SRH | 2022 |
| 4 | Mayank Yadav | 156.70 kmph | LSG | 2024 |
| 5 | Anrich Nortje | 156.22 kmph | DC | 2020 |
| 6 | Mayank Yadav | 155.80 kmph | LSG | 2024 |
| 7 | Anrich Nortje | 154.80 kmph | DC | 2020 |
| 8 | Dale Steyn | 154.40 kmph | Deccan Chargers | 2012 |
| 9 | Kagiso Rabada | 154.20 kmph | DC | 2019 |
| 10 | Ashok Sharma | 154.20 kmph | GT | 2026 |
Top 10 Fastest Bowlers in IPL History – Player Details
1. Shaun Tait – 157.71 kmph
- Country: Australia
- IPL team: Rajasthan Royals
- Fastest speed: 157.71 kmph
- Season: 2011
- Opposition: Delhi Daredevils
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
The widely reported speed-gun readings indicate that Shaun Tait has been the fastest bowler in IPL history. This record-breaking feat was accomplished by Tait during his time with the Rajasthan Royals in the 2011 season.
As well as being one of the fastest bowlers in his era, Tait’s speed on the ball made him as intimidating as any other. Because he did not rely heavily on either swinging or moving the ball, he was even more effective at the crease.
The fast ball that set a new record was thrown during a game with the Delhi Daredevils played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. At 157.71 kilometers per hour (kmph), it is still the quickest ball to be delivered in the IPL.
2. Lockie Ferguson – 157.30 kmph
- Country: New Zealand
- IPL team: Gujarat Titans
- Fastest speed: 157.30 kmph
- Season: 2022
- Opposition: Rajasthan Royals
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Lockie Ferguson holds the number two spot of the fastest balls ever thrown in an IPL match. At a speed of 157.3 kmph, he delivered the fastest ball during the 2022 IPL Final when his team (Gujarat Titans) faced off with the Rajasthan Royals.
He has an excellent reputation for generating extreme pace and bowling aggressively at the batsman with his short balls. His contributions have enabled the Gujarat Titans to become a serious competitor in their first year of operation.
Even though he delivered the ball at a speed slightly less than Shaun Tait’s record, Ferguson came very close to being the quickest bowler in the history of the IPL.
3. Umran Malik – 157 kmph
- Country: India
- IPL team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Fastest speed: 157 kmph
- Season: 2022
- Opposition: Delhi Capitals
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Umran Malik is the second-fastest Indian bowler to ever play in the IPL. In the 2022 season, he bowled a ball at 157 km/h when his team, Sunrisers Hyderabad, played against Delhi Capitals.
The fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir was the subject of much discussion due to his exceptional ability to consistently bowl at speeds greater than 150 km/h.
He had 22 wickets at the end of IPL 2022, which allowed him to be selected to play for the India National Cricket Team. His aggressive style of bowling and raw pace were what made him one of the most exciting young fast bowlers during the entire IPL.
4. Mayank Yadav – 156.70 kmph
- Country: India
- IPL team: Lucknow Super Giants
- Fastest speed: 156.70 kmph
- Season: 2024
- Opposition: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Mayank Yadav emerged as one of the major revelations of IPL 2024. He played for Lucknow Super Giants and established himself as a fan-favorite due to his amazing pace and ability to make life difficult for some of the most seasoned batsmen.
He hit a top speed of 156.7 km/h while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Mayank also bowled a ball at 155.8 km/hr against Punjab Kings prior to this event. He has earned national recognition and is considered to be one of India’s top young fast bowling talents.
5. Anrich Nortje – 156.22 kmph
- Country: South Africa
- IPL team: Delhi Capitals
- Fastest speed: 156.22 kmph
- Season: 2020
- Opposition: Rajasthan Royals
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
The fast bowler from South Africa, Anrich Nortje, also had a few of the quickest balls thrown during IPL matches.
During the IPL 2020 match against the Rajasthan Royals, Nortje clocked a top speed of 156.22 kmph. In addition, Nortje delivered a second-fastest ball at 154.8 kmph during the same season.
He was one of the most effective fast bowlers who helped Delhi Capitals reach the IPL 2020 final. He is especially recognized for his aggressive speed, accuracy, and for being able to deliver aggressive short pitched balls.
6. Mayank Yadav – 155.80 kmph
- Country: India
- IPL team: Lucknow Super Giants
- Fastest speed: 155.80 kmph
- Season: 2024
- Opposition: Punjab Kings
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Mayank Yadav is back on the list of top-performing fast bowlers in the IPL after delivering two very fast deliveries in IPL 2024.
He demonstrated his ability to make it difficult for batsmen to bat with sheer speed by delivering a 155.8 kmph ball against Punjab Kings.
The performance of Mayank throughout the competition has given the Lucknow Super Giants team an opportunity to find out about a very promising Indian fast bowling player.
7. Anrich Nortje – 154.80 kmph
- Country: South Africa
- IPL team: Delhi Capitals
- Fastest speed: 154.80 kmph
- Season: 2020
- Opposition: Rajasthan Royals
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Anrich Nortje had yet another extraordinary delivery in the IPL 2020. With a speed of 154.8 km/h on one of his balls to the Rajasthan Royals, it was clear that he can keep up a great deal of speed for an entire spell.
With his contributions with the other Delhi Capitals fast bowlers, he created a solid bowling unit for the franchise. His ability to deliver fast bouncers and yorkers in T20 cricket has made him a vital part of the team.
8. Dale Steyn – 154.40 kmph
- Country: South Africa
- IPL team: Deccan Chargers
- Fastest speed: 154.40 kmph
- Season: 2012
- Opposition: Kolkata Knight Riders
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Dale Steyn is considered one of the most successful fast bowlers in modern day cricket. He has become known for combining extreme pace with both swing and control.
While playing for Deccan Chargers, Dale Steyn bowled a fast ball at about 154.4 km/h during the IPL 2012 match between Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Dale Steyn’s talent for taking wickets with the new ball, along with his wealth of experience as a professional cricketer, helped make him a very valuable asset to teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Steyn has played for a number of different IPL teams throughout his career, and is still considered by many to be among the top fast bowlers of today.
9. Kagiso Rabada – 154.20 kmph
- Country: South Africa
- IPL team: Delhi Capitals
- Fastest speed: 154.20 kmph
- Season: 2019
- Opposition: Recorded in the 2019 season
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
The other fast bowler from South Africa that has made an impression on the Indian Premier League (IPL) is Kagiso Rabada.
The fastest delivery he made was about 154.2 km/h when he played for the Delhi Capitals during the 2019 season.
Rabada is recognized as a very hostile bowler, who accurately bowls “yorkers” (balls pitched directly on the batsman’s feet), and takes wickets at critical times throughout the game. His performances have established him as one of the most threatening fast bowlers in all of franchise cricket.
10. Ashok Sharma – 154.20 kmph
- Country: India
- IPL team: Gujarat Titans
- Fastest speed: 154.20 kmph
- Season: 2026
- Opposition: Rajasthan Royals
- Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Ashok Sharma is one of the more recent Indian fast bowlers to be included on the list of fastest deliveries in IPL history.
On April 4, 2026, when Gujarat Titans played against Rajasthan Royals, he threw a 154.2 km/h yorker to Dhruv Jurel.
The delivery was the quickest one recorded in the IPL 2026 based upon the published season data. Ashok had another good year of being able to consistently throw the ball faster than 145 kilometers per hour.
He was purchased by Gujarat Titans for INR 90 lakhs during the IPL 2026 auction as a result of his strong performance in the domestic cricket season. This performance has positioned him as a promising young fast bowler.
Fastest Indian Bowlers in IPL History
| Rank | Indian bowler | Fastest IPL delivery | Season |
| 1 | Umran Malik | 157 kmph | 2022 |
| 2 | Mayank Yadav | 156.7 kmph | 2024 |
| 3 | Ashok Sharma | 154.2 kmph | 2026 |
Fastest Delivery in IPL History by Season
| IPL season | Fastest bowler | Speed |
| 2011 | Shaun Tait | 157.71 kmph |
| 2020 | Anrich Nortje | 156.22 kmph |
| 2022 | Lockie Ferguson | 157.3 kmph |
| 2022 | Umran Malik | 157 kmph |
| 2024 | Mayank Yadav | 156.7 kmph |
| 2025 | Lockie Ferguson | 153.2 kmph |
| 2026 | Ashok Sharma | 154.2 kmph |
Conclusion
The IPL has produced many incredible fast bowlers that are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with regards to bowling speeds. As such, Shaun Tait still holds the record for the fastest ball thrown during an IPL match (157.71 kmph), with Lockie Ferguson and Umran Malik following closely behind.
In addition to the aforementioned Indian pace bowlers (Umran Malik, Mayank Yadav, Ashok Sharma), there are many other Indian pace bowlers who can also compete at a high level with some of the fastest pace bowlers in the world. As we look forward to each additional season of IPL cricket, fans can anticipate seeing even more exciting performances from these players and perhaps some new records set by them.
FAQs
1. Who bowled the fastest delivery in IPL history?
Shaun Tait holds the record for the fastest delivery in IPL history. He bowled at 157.71 kmph for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Daredevils in 2011.
2. Who bowled the second-fastest ball in IPL history?
Lockie Ferguson bowled the second-fastest delivery at 157.3 kmph while representing Gujarat Titans against Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 IPL final.
3. Who is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL history?
Umran Malik is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL history, with a recorded delivery of 157 kmph for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022.
4. What is Mayank Yadav’s fastest bowling speed in IPL?
Mayank Yadav’s fastest recorded IPL delivery is 156.7 kmph, which he bowled for Lucknow Super Giants against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024.
5. Who bowled the fastest delivery in IPL 2026?
Ashok Sharma bowled the fastest delivery of IPL 2026, recording a speed of 154.2 kmph for Gujarat Titans against Rajasthan Royals.
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