Top 10 fastest balls bowled in IPL 2017

This year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) was dominated by some excellent bowling performances. From Jaydev Unadkat’s five-for to Andrew Tye’s and Samuel Badree’s hat-trick, there were some spells to cherish. We witnessed a few nail-biting finishes but there were some unwanted records broken as well. From Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 49 all out to Delhi Daredevil’s 67; bowlers owned the 2017 edition of the Indian domestic T20 competition.

The leg-spinners who have turned out to be the real wicket-takers in the middle overs contributed to a host of wickets but the pacers ended up with the honours in the end. IPL is one of those tournaments that is all about speed, this version saw some extraordinary pace bowling from some of the most fierce bowlers from across the world. Today we go back to look at the top ten fastest deliveries bowled in the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League.

10. Varun Aaron (Kings XI Punjab) – 150.12 kmph

The Jharkhand lad, Varun Aaron might have lost his place from the Indian team but he has surely not lost his pace. After battling through numerous injuries this 27-year-old fast bowler was bowling at his best for the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. Aaron who earned all the name for being an out and out express pace bowler has always maintained that at no cost would he compromise with his pace as that is his primary strength.

He did not find a lot of quantifiable success in the 6 games he played as he picked up just 7 wickets at an economy rate of 8.15 runs per over. But he looked to be in a good rhythm and confident, Varun clocked 150.12 km/hr on the speed gun during this season which tells a lot about the hard work he has put in even on his fitness after being bogged down by injuries.

9. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.17 kmph

He isn’t a Mitchell Johnson or Starc but Pat Cummins is Pat Cummins. He impressed one and all with his performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy where he made a Test comeback after 5 long years and continued his fine show in the IPL. Cummins was a part of the Delhi Daredevils unit and he did bowl like a Daredevil. He was bowling extremely well as he was constantly hitting the 145 km/hr mark as far as the pace is concerned.

The Aussie pacer took the field in 12 games and returned with 15 wickets and he was one of the few who reached the 15-wicket mark. Even though his team could not get into the playoffs, Pat Cummins a hard worker gave it his all. He learned a great deal from the likes of Indian veterans Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid during his time at the Delhi Daredevils.

8. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.21 kmph

South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada is young, strong, really well built to be a pace bowler, is aggressive and that constitutes as all the right ingredients required in the making of a pacer. Very early in his career, he has been regarded as one of the best bowlers out there in the current scene. He made his debut as a 19-year-old for the Proteas and immediately hogged the limelight not only for his pace but also by claiming a hat-trick and five-wicket haul on T20I debut.

The South African speedster was the go-to bowler for Daredevils skipper Zaheer Khan. Though he played only six games Rabada picked up some crucial wickets in some crunch moments. At the same time, he clocked 150.2 km/hr to deliver one of the fastest balls of the season.

7. Tymal Mills (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – 150.37 kmph

He isn’t blessed with the best of the bodies, having suffered several injuries, but Tymal Mills still works really hard to use what he has on the cricket field. England’s T20 specialist pacer was the most expensive bowler in the history of the IPL but mostly known for his pace as he varies the pace at extremes on both sides of the marker. With his unusual action Mills managed to cross 145 km/hr mark with ease and even went past 150 km/hr as well.

At the same time, he has a very deceptive slower delivery that can be at or even slower than 110 km/hr However, it was a disappointing campaign for him as he could not live up to his huge price tag. Mills played just 5 games picking up just 5 wickets in those games. He did well during the T20I series against India prior to the IPL and that was what got him into the RCB squad but failed to get his rhythm going in the IPL.

6. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.44 kmph

Pat Cummins, features on this list again. Once the big Australian found his rhythm, there was no one stopping him. Batters are quite comfortable with the pace even facing 145 km/hr in the current age. Given the ball comes onto the bat faster and with nothing on offer from the pitches, it is easy to dispatch such deliveries but when it crosses 150 km/hr-mark, it becomes quite difficult to handle and Cummins was able to do time and again.

Even on the dead sub-continent wickets where the ball gets little or no lift from the pitch, it is as much tougher for the batsmen to face a bowler who is express quick and that was the case with Cummins. He bowled one of the deliveries at 150.44 km/hr in this IPL season to make life difficult for the batters.

5. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.48 kmph

There are fine margins between the top speeds but those fine margins make a huge difference at this stage. Cummins is all over this list of fastest deliveries and might as well go on to top the list. The Australian pacer who occupies this place for delivering one at 150.48 km/hr has another couple of places in the list with deliveries clocked at 150.17 km/hr and 150.48 km/hr in the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League.

2017 was clearly the season when Cummins arrived though he made his international debut five years ago. He took a while to get back to prime fitness and hit form, but once he did there was no looking back. Irrespective of the format and even conditions, he was spot on with his line and lengths at the same time maintaining the right kind of pace.

4. Billy Stanlake (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – 150.57 kmph

Another bowler from RCB who features in the list is Billy Stanlake who hails from Australia is just 22 years old. The big guy who stands 6.7 ft tall has done well for his domestic side Queensland as well as the Big Bash League team Adelaide Strikers which in turn earned him a spot in the national team and an IPL contract subsequently.

He has played 10 T20s in his career and has as many wickets to his name. In the IPL Stanlake played just two games for the bowling heavy Sunrisers Hyderabad. The lanky bowler is known for his pace and aggression and he managed to clock an impressive 150.57 km/hr as his fastest ball in IPL 2017.

3. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.67 kmph

Rabada who has just shown glimpses of his real potential by now with some more experience is going to become a world beater. He had an excellent season for his country and played well for his IPL team Delhi as well. He again features in the list taking up the 3rd spot for his 150.57 km/hr delivery.

With a swift and smooth action that flows from the run-up to the delivery and follow through and well-built body, the 21-year-old has all that it takes to bowl at express pace, He is utilising his genetic and mechanic gifts really well to hit the higher numbers on the speed gun as often as possible.

2. Lockie Ferguson (Rising Pune Supergiant) – 150.90 kmph

This Kiwi fast bowler is only known for his pace. He was bought on by the Rising Pune Supergiant team management as a replacement for England all-rounder Ben Stokes who missed out a game mid-way through the league due to a knee injury. Ferguson was overshadowed by the likes of Jaydev Unadkat and Shardul Thakur in the team and with the overseas players’ cap couldn’t get a lot of games.

The New Zealander bowled extremely well in one of the four games as he was guilty of leaking runs in the other three encounters. But it was his pace that knew no bounds and he finishes the season as the second fastest ball with a delivery which almost hits 151 km/hr.

1. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 153.56 kmph

IPL 2017 wasn’t about others competing with Pat Cummins it was the right-arm pacer bettering his own record and his own feats at least in this particular list right through the course of the tournament. He was the only one who could hit the 153 km/hr mark and with that, he left all the others too far behind in the race. This is the fastest delivery bowled in the Indian Premier League this year.

Cummins was the life and soul of the Delhi Daredevils bowling unit and always lifted their spirits with his own effort. If he manages to keep himself fit we will get to see more such deliveries from this Australian fast bowler in the coming years and we may even see him break the record for the fastest delivery.

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