WPL 2024: Shabnim Ismail breaks records for the fastest ball with a 132.1 kph delivery against Delhi Capitals

South African cricket sensation Shabnim Ismail has etched her name in history by delivering the fastest recorded ball in women's cricket, clocking an impressive 132.1 kmph.

Ovaise Shariff

First Published Mar 6, 2024, 10:24 AM IST | Last Updated Mar 6, 2024, 10:24 AM IST

Shabnim Ismail achieved a groundbreaking moment in women's cricket as she bowled the fastest recorded ball at 132.1 kph while playing for the Mumbai Indians against the Delhi Capitals. This marked the first time Ismail surpassed the 130kph milestone in the recorded history of women's cricket.

The notable delivery occurred during the WPL game in Delhi on Tuesday, where Ismail faced off against the Delhi Capitals. The speed-gun on broadcast captured the impressive 132.1kph speed during the second delivery of the third over. This delivery, aimed at Capitals captain Meg Lanning, resulted in a missed shot and a front pad hit. Although Mumbai appealed for lbw, the decision was turned down. In a post-match inquiry about her awareness of the record-breaking delivery, Ismail mentioned that she refrains from looking at the big screen while bowling.

Ismail had previously recorded a delivery at 128.3kph in the tournament's opening game against the Capitals. Despite missing a couple of matches due to injury, she made a strong comeback on Tuesday.

While Ismail holds the fastest recorded delivery in women's cricket, she also achieved a similar feat in international cricket, bowling at 128kph against West Indies in 2016 and exceeding the 127kph mark twice during the 2022 ODI World Cup.

Despite her notable achievement with the ball, Ismail had a challenging outing on Tuesday, with her opening two overs going for 14 runs. Shafali Verma added to her woes by hitting consecutive sixes at the start of her third over. Ismail eventually dismissed Verma for 28, giving her an animated send-off. She concluded the top-of-the-table clash with figures of 1 for 46 from her four overs.

It's worth noting that Ismail, at the age of 35, retired from international cricket in May 2023, concluding a remarkable 16-year career. Over the course of her international career, she played 241 games and claimed 317 wickets across formats, including 127 ODIs, 113 T20Is, and a Test match. Currently, she remains active in various T20 leagues worldwide.

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