The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has already featured some of the fastest bowling in the sport’s history, with lightning-quick deliveries rushing the top players in the world of cricket on the energetic Australian fields.
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By averaging a staggering 149.02kph (92.6mph) across his four overs against Afghanistan, Mark Wood broke the previous record for the fastest white-ball cricket session ever set by Fidel Edwards for the West Indies back in 2009.
Several bowlers who can bowl quickly have been on display, including Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi of Pakistan, Mitchell Starc of Australia, Taskin Ahmed of Bangladesh, and Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand.
Anrich Nortje of South Africa is the only bowler that comes close to challenging Wood for the quickest of the competition.
Earlier in the competition, the speedster’s scorching burst had Bangladesh jumping for joy. But even a ball tracked at 154.311 kph couldn’t match Wood’s record-breaking speed.
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The following are the top ten fastest deliveries so far:
1. Mark Wood (England) – 154.74kph vs. New Zealand (96.15mph)
The tournament’s quickest delivery saw England’s strike bowler rocket in a full delivery that nearly sliced Glenn Phillips in half and could have easily castled the in-form Kiwi. Instead, it found an inside edge, allowing the ball to sneak past the leg stump and run away for a goal.
2. Mark Wood (England) – 154.48kph vs. Afghanistan (95.98mph)
The opening ball of Wood’s second over of the contest was just dug out by Hazratullah Zazai because of its full, straight, and express velocity. After taking the match’s first wicket with his first ball, Wood immediately backed it up with a second delivery that was accelerated, whizzing past the outside edge from behind of a length. The wickets were taken by Sam Curran, but Wood’s speed weakened the Afghan batting.
3. Anrich Nortje (South Africa) 154.31 kph vs. Bangladesh (95.88mph)
The second over of the match against Bangladesh by Nortje was quick the entire time. With his fourth ball, he dismissed Shakib, and with his last, he bowled the quickest delivery of the game, launching a missile at the front pad. Due to the outside leg pitch on the ball, Afif Hossain survived.
4. Afghanistan vs. Mark Wood (England) – 154.07 kph (95.73mph)
In an over that only produced four runs, Mark Wood’s fourth delivery was a dot ball because it was back of a length and squeezed the batter for space.
5. South Africa’s Anrich Nortje beat Bangladesh at 153.47 kph (95.36mph)
Nortje fired a bouncer that soared beyond Afif, evaded the goalkeeper’s head, and traveled for four byes.
6. New Zealand vs. Mark Wood (England) – 153.31 kph (95.26mph)
In an effort to score a run, Wood angled a rapid delivery at Kane Williamson. The ball almost missed the pads before being flipped to the rope, giving the fielders little opportunity.
7. Ireland vs. Mark Wood (England) – 152.90 kph (95.00mph)
There was little Harry Tector could do as a peach of a delivery moved away from him at such speed. Jos Buttler was stung by the ripper when it located the edge and traveled a considerable distance to sting him.
8. Ireland vs. Mark Wood (England), 152.87 kph (94.98mph)
Gareth Delany did well to take advantage of the pace and angle of a lively full-length ball to the boundary, making a big over from Wood pricey.
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9. Afghanistan vs. Mark Wood (England) – 152.15 kph (94.54mph)
A huge heave from the batter failed to make contact as the ball zipped through to the keeper as Wood outpaced Mohammad Nabi with the first delivery of the over.
10. Ireland vs. Mark Wood (England) 152.15 kph (94.54mph)
A quick Wood delivery hurried new batsman Mark Adair and narrowly missed Chris Woakes, missing by only one wicket in two balls.
