IPL 2022: 5 bowlers who have bowled the fastest deliveries so far this season
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is blessed with some of the best bowling talents in the world. With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to name a few, there is an embarrassment of riches in the quality fast bowlers that are currently playing in this league.
While three of the top-five wicket-takers in the last are spinners, the pacers are enjoying quite a bit of success on the fresh pitches laid out as well. Umesh Yadav (10) and Lockie Ferguson (8) are the two pacers in the top five.
Despite the obvious talent, what the two aforementioned pacers have in common is the kind of pace they can generate. The abundance of pace in their locker has been an X-factor against which some of the best batters in the world have struggled to deal with.
Most cricket followers would agree that there is nothing more exciting in the sport than witnessing a pacer who can crank up some serious pace. On that note, let's take a look at five fast bowlers who have bowled the fastest deliveries this season thus far.
#1 Umran Malik clocked at 153kmph in the IPL this year
in #SRHvGT! 🤯
kmph - the fastest delivery of #TATAIPL 2022. Can Lockie Ferguson do one better?The battle of the speedsters is 🔛 in #SRHvGT! 🤯
Umran Malik clocked 1⃣5⃣3⃣ kmph - the fastest delivery of #TATAIPL 2022. Can Lockie Ferguson do one better?
#YehAbNormalHai #IPL2022
The gunslinger from Jammu and Kashmir has caught the headlines ever since he made it into the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad. Capable of cranking it up around the 150kmph mark on a regular basis, Umran Malik has the potential to be a lethal fast bowler for India.
The 22-year has taken three wickets in this year's IPL so far but his economy rate has been on the expensive side. His fastest delivery this season was clocked at 153 kmph against the Gujarat Titans. It was in that game where his bouncer rattled Hardik Pandya early on in his innings. Malik is being trusted to play the role of the enforcer in the new-look SRH side this IPL season.
#2 Lockie Ferguson
The speedster from New Zealand has been one of the most recent stars to make a name for himself in the IPL. Lockie Ferguson played for the Kolkata Knight Riders last season, troubling most batters with his extra pace and bounce. He was signed by the Gujarat Titans for a whopping amount of ₹10 crore at the IPL mega-auction earlier this year.
The 30-year old hasn't disappointed his new franchise so far. He has taken eight wickets in five matches this season, contributing to his side's good run with his match-winning spells. His fastest delivery this season was recorded at 150 clicks. We expect him to keep cranking up his pace as the tournament continues. He also has a pretty lethal slower delivery, which will be one to watch out for.
#3 Navdeep Saini
The Rajasthan Royals bowler was part of a solid pace attack alongside Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna before suffering an injury. Navdeep Saini looked in decent rhythm in the two games he has played this season, bagging three wickets.
The former RCB bowler clocked one at 149 kph in the game against the Mumbai Indians, making him the third quickest pacer on the list. While his economy rate has been on the expensive side, he will be looking to address that once he returns to the side.
#4 Odean Smith
The bulky West Indian all-rounder has had quite the tournament thus far. Odean Smith has made a positive impact with bat and ball in the new Punjab Kings side. The 25-year old has taken six wickets in five matches. His fastest delivery was registered in the game against RCB, where he clocked 148.8 kmph.
The West Indian has had quite the whirlwind of a tournament already. He was on the receiving end of a brutal Rahul Tewatia finish but responded strongly with figures of 4/30 (his best figures in the IPL) against the Mumbai Indians. He could also make an impact with the bat as the tournament goes on.
#5 Kamlesh Nagarkoti
The former Kolkata Knight Riders pacer has been notching up some serious pace, despite his injury issues. He was snapped up at this year's IPL auction by the Delhi Capitals for a price of ₹1.10 crore. However, he has played just one match this season.
His only match was Delhi Capitals' first game of the tournament, against the Mumbai Indians. Kamlesh Nagarkoti's fastest delivery was recorded at 145.8 kmph. He went wicketless in that game 29 runs off his two overs, and hasn't played since.