Top 10 Fastest Balls Bowled in IPL 2017

In the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL), the bowlers really stole the show. We saw impressive performances like Jaydev Unadkat taking five wickets in one game, and Andrew Tye and Samuel Badree both taking hat-tricks. The season had some thrilling finishes but also saw some disappointing records, like Royal Challengers Bangalore getting out for just 49 runs and Delhi Daredevils only making 67 runs. Overall, the bowlers were in charge during the 2017 season.

Leg-spinners played a key role in taking wickets during the middle overs, but fast bowlers ultimately got the most recognition. This season highlighted some incredible pace bowling from top bowlers around the world.

Let’s look back at the ten fastest deliveries bowled in the 2017 IPL.

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

Varun Aaron from Jharkhand might not be in the Indian team anymore, but he still has his speed. Despite dealing with many injuries, the 27-year-old fast bowler showed his best form while playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. Known for his express pace, Aaron has always said he will never compromise on his speed, as it is his main strength.

In the six games he played, he didn’t have much success, taking only 7 wickets at an economy rate of 8.15 runs per over. However, he was in good form and confident. This season, he clocked 150.12 km/hr on the speed gun, which shows he has worked hard on his fitness despite his injuries.

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9. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.17 kmph

Pat Cummins may not be as famous as Mitchell Johnson or Mitchell Starc, but he has made a name for himself. He made a successful comeback in Test cricket after five years during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and continued to perform well in the IPL. Playing for the Delhi Daredevils, he bowled impressively, consistently reaching speeds of 145 km/hr.

In 12 matches, Cummins took 15 wickets, making him one of the few bowlers to reach that milestone. Despite his team not making it to the playoffs, Cummins worked hard and learned a lot from Indian legends like Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid during his time with the Daredevils.

8. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.21 kmph

Kagiso Rabada, a young and powerful fast bowler from South Africa, is built perfectly for pace bowling. He’s aggressive and has all the qualities needed to be a great pacer. Early in his career, he was seen as one of the top bowlers around. He made his debut for South Africa at 19 and quickly drew attention by taking a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in his first T20I.

Rabada was a key bowler for Daredevils captain Zaheer Khan. Although he played only six matches, he took important wickets in crucial moments and bowled one of the fastest balls of the season at 150.2 km/h.

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

Tymal Mills isn’t the fittest player, having had several injuries, but he works hard to make the most of his abilities on the field. As England’s T20 specialist bowler, he was the most expensive player in IPL history, known for his extreme pace variations. Mills can bowl at speeds over 145 km/hr and even surpass 150 km/hr with his unique action. He also has a tricky slower ball that can be around or even below 110 km/hr.

Unfortunately, his IPL performance was disappointing. Despite his high price, he only played 5 games and took 5 wickets. He had done well in the T20I series against India before the IPL, which earned him a spot in the RCB squad, but he couldn’t find his rhythm in the tournament.

6. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.44 kmph

Pat Cummins makes this list again because once he found his groove, he was unstoppable. Today’s batters are used to facing fast deliveries, even those going at 145 km/hr. Since modern pitches don’t offer much help and the ball comes off the bat quickly, these speeds are manageable. However, when the speed exceeds 150 km/hr, it becomes much harder to handle, and Cummins consistently delivered balls at this speed.

Even on slow pitches in the subcontinent where the ball doesn’t bounce much, facing a bowler with such extreme pace is still very challenging. Cummins proved this by bowling a delivery at 150.44 km/hr during this IPL season, making it tough for the batsmen.

5. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.48 kmph

The difference in top speeds is very small, but those small differences matter a lot right now. Cummins is dominating the list of fastest deliveries and could easily top it. The Australian fast bowler has a delivery recorded at 150.48 km/h and has a couple more in the list at 150.17 km/h and 150.48 km/h from the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League.

2017 was when Cummins really made his mark, even though he had made his international debut five years earlier. It took him some time to regain full fitness and form, but once he did, he was unstoppable. Regardless of the format or conditions, he consistently nailed his line and length while keeping up his pace.

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

Another bowler from RCB on the list is Billy Stanlake from Australia, who is only 22 years old. Standing 6.7 feet tall, he has performed well for his domestic team Queensland and the Big Bash League team Adelaide Strikers. This success earned him a place in the national team and an IPL contract.

Stanlake has played 10 T20 matches and taken 10 wickets. In the IPL, he played just two games for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have a strong bowling lineup. Known for his speed and aggression, he bowled his fastest delivery at an impressive 150.57 km/h in the IPL 2017.

3. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Daredevils) – 150.67 kmph

Rabada, who has only started to show his true potential, is expected to become a top player with more experience. He had a great season for his country and also performed well for his IPL team, Delhi. He ranks third on the list for his delivery speed of 150.57 km/hr.

With a smooth and quick bowling action, a well-built body, and natural talent, the 21-year-old is well-equipped to bowl at high speeds. He’s making the most of his natural and technical abilities to regularly achieve impressive speed on the radar.

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

This Kiwi fast bowler is known mainly for his speed. The Rising Pune Supergiants picked him as a replacement for England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who missed a game due to a knee injury. Ferguson didn’t get much chance to play because other bowlers like Jaydev Unadkat and Shardul Thakur were more prominent, and there were limits on how many overseas players could be used.

In the few games he played, Ferguson performed really well in one match, but he struggled with giving away runs in the other three. Despite this, his speed was impressive, and he ended the season with the second-fastest delivery, nearly hitting 151 km/h.

1. Pat Cummins (Delhi Daredevils) – 153.56 kmph

In the IPL 2017, Pat Cummins didn’t have to worry about others competing with him. He focused on improving his own records throughout the tournament. He was the only player to bowl at 153 km/h, leaving everyone else far behind. This was the fastest delivery of the IPL that year.

Cummins was crucial to the Delhi Daredevils’ bowling and always boosted the team’s morale with his performance. If he stays fit, we’ll likely see more impressive deliveries from this Australian fast bowler in the future, and he might even break the record for the fastest delivery.

Here’s the table with 10 players fastest deliveries bowled in the 2017 IPL:

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