Australian pace bowling stalwart Mitchell Starc has announced his decision to retire from the T20I format in a bid to manage his workload ahead of a demanding Ashes Test series, which starts later this year. The 35-year-old speedster further backed his decision to retire from this format by stressing his desire to keep himself fresh and rejuvenated for the all-important 2027 ODI World Cup. 

Although no one saw his retirement coming, the cricketing world was certainly left in a state of disbelief after hearing this unfortunate development. For over a decade, Starc has been a reliable all-format specialist bowler for Australia. The lethal paceman scripted match-winning performances for his national side in crunch matches. His ability to swing the ball at pace, followed by his tendency to trouble the batters with his sharp bouncers, made him one of the most feared bowlers in all formats of the game.

While we may no longer see Strac in action in the shortest format, it is time for us to revisit his glorious T20I past. 

See also: Australia face massive blow as star player ruled out of T20I and ODI series against India

A brief roundup of Mitchell Starc's glorious T20I record

The NSW-born pacer is Australia's second-highest wicket taker in the T20I format. Starc made his T20I debut against Pakistan in the year 2012. Although he managed to pick just a solitary wicket, the charismatic pacer left an immediate impact by giving away just 17 runs in his four overs. In 65 T20Is, Starc has registered 79 scalps at a remarkable average of 23.81. While he has demonstrated his appetite to pick wickets consistently, Starc also maintained a very impressive economy rate of 7.73 RPO. His figures of 4-20 against the West Indies remain his best-recorded bowling figures in the shortest format. 

A total of 30 out of the 79 dismissals came against Pakistan & Sri Lanka. The pacer claimed 15 wickets apiece against the two teams. Moreover, he was also a thorn in the side of the West Indies, averaging 25.07 with 14 wickets against them. He also fared well against India too, taking seven wickets at an average of 24. Barring Scotland, Starc has managed to pick a wicket against every nation he has played. His only weak link in his overall T20I career was his performance against the BlackCaps, against whom he averaged a shocking 155 with only one wicket to his name.

Starc's final appearance for Australia in this format came against India in the T20 World Cup 2024. The speedster was a part of the 2021 T20 World Cup-winning squad and also represented his national squad successfully in the 2014, 2016, and 2022 T20 World Cups.

The experienced left-arm pacer for Australia, Mitchell Starc, has decided to call it a time from the shortest format of the game to prioritize the heavy Test schedule next year and the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup. The 35-year-old last featured in the format during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and was part of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. 

Starc is the second leading wicket-taker for Australia in the shortest format of the game. The New South Wales bowler has picked up 79 wickets in 65 innings at an average of under 24 and a strike rate of 18.45 with an economy rate of 7.74, thanks to his best bowling figures of 4/20 in an inning.

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“Test cricket is and has always been my highest priority. I have loved every minute of every T20 game I have played for Australia, particularly the 2021 World Cup, not just because we won but the incredible group and the fun along the way.” Starc expressed his thoughts on his T20I retirement for Australia.

Mitchell Starc announces T20I retirement for Australia due to heavy Test schedule

From the middle of 2026, the current WTC runners-up will face a hectic schedule with a home Test series against Bangladesh at home before a tour of South Africa and a four-match red-ball series against New Zealand, and another five Tests away in India in January 2027, followed by the one-off 150th anniversary against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and then an away Ashes 2027.

“Looking ahead to an away Indian Test tour, the Ashes and an ODI World Cup in 2027, I feel this is my best way forward to remain fresh, fit and at my best for those campaigns. It also gives the bowling group time to prepare for the T20 World Cup in the matches leading into that tournament.” Starc addressed the decision.

“Mitch should be incredibly proud of his T20 career for Australia. He was an integral member of the 2021 World Cup-winning side and, as across all his cricket, had a great skill for blowing games open with his wicket-taking ability.” The chairman of the selectors for Australia, George Bailey, reckoned.  

The cricket world is full of great fast bowlers right now, especially in Test cricket. Although former players like Kevin Pietersen think the current bowlers are less effective than those from the past, this is a personal opinion. Since playing conditions and styles have changed a lot over the years, it is not fair to say the current players are worse than the older ones.

No matter how the game changes, fast bowlers will always be important in the team. They can make a big impact with the new ball, rough up the old ball for the spinners, and use reverse swing. These are just some reasons why fast bowlers are necessary and cannot be left out. With that said, let’s rank the world’s 10 best Test bowlers after the ENG vs IND 2025 series.

10. Marco Jansen 

Marco Jansen from South Africa is a true all-round player. He can bowl fast, with good bounce and swing. He can also score important runs in the lower-middle order. The tall left-handed pacer is strong with the ball because he gets pace and bounce. He can also hit the ball well, making him a threat as a batsman. Jansen made his Test debut against India in the Boxing Day Test in 2021. He was the first player born in the 2000s to play for South Africa. Jansen made a big impact by taking 7 wickets for just 13 runs. He has the best bowling figures by a pacer in World Test Championship (WTC) history.

In Test cricket, he has bowled 488.1 overs and given away 1696 runs. He has taken 77 wickets with an average of 22.03. He has taken five wickets in an innings three times and ten wickets in a match once. His best bowling in an innings is 7 wickets for 13 runs, and his best in a match is 11 wickets for 86 runs. His economy rate is 3.47, and his strike rate is 38.04.

09. Jayden Seales

Seales is one of the few good players for the West Indies during a tough time in Test cricket. The right-arm fast bowler has been one of the best for his team since he came back in 2024 after being away for two years. He played very well in the England tour in 2024, taking 13 wickets in three Tests. He was the top wicket-taker for the visitors, with an average of 27.23.

Since then, Seales has been very consistent. He took his best six wickets in one innings against South Africa and performed very well against Bangladesh. He was also the joint second-highest wicket-taker for West Indies in their 0-3 loss against Australia at home. After that, he moved up to 11th place in the rankings.

08.  Matt Henry

Matt Henry is now the main bowler for New Zealand after playing a supporting role for many years. With a good mix of experience and skill, he finished the last WTC cycle as the eighth-highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers. The right-arm bowler recently took 16 wickets in the 2-0 series win against Zimbabwe, which helped him reach fourth place in the ICC Test Rankings for bowlers. He played a big part in New Zealand’s famous 3-0 win against India in spin-friendly conditions. Before that, he also had an important series against Australia at home.

07. Gus Atkinson

The right-arm pacer showed how much England missed him during most of the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar series by taking eight wickets after returning from injury. Atkinson’s role in red-ball cricket became very important for England after James Anderson and Stuart Broad retired. He made a big impact right away, taking ten wickets on his debut at Lord’s. He finished the 2024 home series against the West Indies as the top wicket-taker with 22 wickets. Atkinson kept playing well during the rest of the home season and stayed consistent in away games in Pakistan and New Zealand. The England pacer is now ranked 11th in the world and is expected to play an important role in the upcoming 2025-26 Ashes series.

06. Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj is the man of the moment. People talk a lot about his workload, but what matters most is his skill. The right-arm pacer has quickly risen in red-ball cricket and is now the main bowler for India during a time of change. Siraj has worked hard on his skills and has become a big threat to opponents. Taking more than 20 wickets in Australia and England in back-to-back series helped him reach a career-best 15th place in the rankings, and he will likely go higher.

05.  Mitchell Starc

The experienced left-arm bowler took wickets easily in the recent three-match series against the West Indies in the Caribbean. He was the top wicket-taker for Australia with 15 wickets, including an amazing 6 for 9 that helped bowl out the West Indies for just 27 runs. Starc, who recently played his 100th Test, showed he is still one of the best fast bowlers in the world. His pace, power, and skill have not dropped, and he remains one of the top pacers today.

04. Josh Hazlewood

Despite injuries, Josh Hazlewood has stayed in the top five of the ICC Test Rankings. When fit, he always returns to the team. The right-arm bowler is known for bowling in the right spot and getting good bounce, which troubles many teams, especially in Australia. He had a quiet Border-Gavaskar series and WTC Final, but he is still a strong threat. Hazlewood will be one of the biggest dangers to England in the upcoming Ashes.

03. Kagiso Rabada

Rabada is the main bowler for South Africa and one of the best fast bowlers today. His historic nine-wicket haul at Lord’s helped South Africa win the mace, putting his name among the greats. He bowls with real pace and strong intensity, along with great skill. Rabada is now the world’s second-ranked bowler after his great performance in the WTC Final. South Africa will rely on him to play well again to keep their title.

02. Pat Cummins

The Australian captain fought a great battle against Rabada in the WTC Final. Both showed they are two of the best bowlers, with almost no difference between them. After Rabada took five wickets in the first innings, Cummins answered with six wickets of his own. He also played well against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and was the leading wicket-taker in the 2023-25 WTC cycle.

01.  Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah is rightly the No. 1 bowler in the world and is in a class of his own. Although people talk about his workload, it does not take away from what he has done and will do. In recent years, Bumrah has become a new, better version of himself, performing at his best in all conditions. In the last WTC cycle, he took 77 wickets in 15 matches with an amazing average of just 15.06.

Despite repeated injury threats, India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been constantly making record after record in the international arena. In a recently surfaced list of records, Bumrah again grabbed the top spot of the chart, placing himself far away from a few other active star bowlers on the planet.

According to the stat list for the bowlers who delivered the most in international cricket in 2024, the India speed star is in first place. While another India pacer, Mohammed Siraj, is in the second spot of the ladder. In the previous year, Bumrah successfully completed 516 overs, and Siraj performed in 498 overs. After Bumrah and Siraj, it was Australia's Mitchell Starc who registered his name in the third spot with 481 overs. The fourth place went to Alzarii Joseph, another modern-era effective fast bowler. The West Indies international, in 2024, covered a total of 468 overs. 

Last year, Bumrah remained in the headlines constantly. The pacer from Mumbai remained as a key figure of Indian cricket. With the combination of skills and passion for the game, the right-handed player is more lethal. When India was in trouble against Australia during the Border Gavaskar Trophy, he emerged as the constant figure who delivered the most on the field.

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Due to excessive pressure, he got himself injured and went out from international duties for a long period of time. In the Brisbane and Melbourne Tests, the pacer bagged a total of 18 wickets, 9 wickets from each match, and got 8 wickets in the Perth Test, 2024. 

Fast bowlers with the most overs in 2024:

• Jasprit Bumrah (India): 516 Overs
• Mohammed Siraj (India): 498 Overs
• Mitchell Starc (Australia): 481 Overs
• Alzarri Joseph (West Indies): 468 Overs

Since the left-arm premier pacer of Australia, Mitchell Starc, completed 400 Test wickets during the third Test of the recently finished West Indies-Australia series at the Sabina Park in Jamaica, talks have started to grow on his comparison on the premier Indian pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, who has been equally fantastic across formats. Both have the ability to pick up wickets at any stage of the game.

The Ahmedabad-born, Jasprit Bumrah, has picked up 217 wickets with the red-ball in 90 innings at an average of under 20, while in the ODIs, he has grabbed 149 scalps in 88 innings at an average of nearly 24. In the shortest format, Bumrah has earned 89 wickets in 69 innings. Starc, on the other hand, has recorded 402 red-ball scalps in 192 innings, 244 ODI wickets and 79 T20I scalps.

Let’s take a look at the comparison between Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Starc across formats.

Bumrah and Starc stay on the same T20I league

It’s incredibly hard to break down the stats in various points of the T20 game between the players. Both can swing the new ball and has the skill of drying the runs inside the first six overs, while they can also use the firing yorkers and slower balls to fox the batters in the death overs. Here is a comparison between the two players’ T20 record.

This is where the actual picture comes out of how the India pacer has been clinical in the shortest format even with a huge number of the T20 games. When it comes to bowling with the new ball, Bumrah’s economy remains 6.45 while Starc gives away runs at 7.40. The former has picked up 65 wickets at a dismissal success of 32.82 while Starc has 68 scalps for the dismissal rate of 52.30. That’s another aspect of the batters not giving away wickets to the Gujarat bowler.

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For the death overs, Bumrah’s economy is under eight with 135 wickets in 182 innings, while even though, Starc has earned 85 wickets in 102 matches, his economy is well over nine. It’s simple that the Indian bowler will take a 1-0 lead over Star for being a complete force.

Mitchell Starc and Jasprit Bumrah’s Test comparison

When a comparison is to be made between Bumrah and Starc in the longest format, a fair amount of period is to be looked upon. Here is how both pacers performed in Tests since the start of 2021.

It can easily be seen that Bumrah has been more lethal with the ball, having an average of under 19. The lengths he bowls to the batters never allow them to score runs even when they stay longer in the crease. That’s different for Starc, who, looking to get some swing, do bowl half-volley time to time and leak runs.

On dry subcontinent pitches, Bumrah becomes a beast as he hardly gives the batters any chance to free their arms. That’s where his role becomes really crucial. The recent applause for Starc in the Caribbean is justified, but let’s not forget that the Indian pacer picked up a hat-trick in his same trip to the West Indies for the Test matches.

The only thing for the Sydney-born is that he is a special bowler, and whenever there is a need for the Australian side to pick up wickets to drag the game back in their court, more often than not, Starc will deliver.

Mitchell Starc and Jasprit Bumrah ODI stats comparison

The ODI stats are exactly how it was expected. Here is a table of how they have performed in the ODI since the start of 2021.

Starc has always picked up wickets and this 60 wickets in 31 matches suggests nearly two scalps per game. His average is nearly 25 with an economy rate of under six. For Bumrah, the equation is different with the Indian pacer picking 41 wickets in 22 games at the same rate but at a fair better average of under 19. His economy of 4.38 in this era is gold.

Looking at the stats, it can easily be said that Jasprit Bumrah is better than Mitchell Starc across formats, but the biggest plus point for the Sydney-born is how he has delivered when it has mattered the most, whether it’s the WTC final or the 50-over World Cup.

The third Test of the three-match series between the West Indies and Australia was full of entertainment and fuss around it as the players got into heated moments throughout the three days. The start of the two-part episode was when the right-arm pacer Jayden Seales charged up to Mitchell Starc after knocking his stumps down on the first evening of the day-night Test.

Seales, perhaps, wasn’t aware of the situation. He ran in hard and disturbed the stumps of the left-handed batter, Mitchell Starc, with a cracking yorker. The pacer stopped in the middle and pointed his arm towards the Australian dressing room as Starc left the field with a smile on his face. He was superb with the ball that evening, making it hard for the visiting batters.

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But Starc got the best chance to give it back during the third and what proved to be the last day of the series. The left-arm pacer started the second innings with a bang, having found the outside edge of John Campbell on the first ball of the defense. The last wicket was off Seales, who couldn’t handle the firing yorker, as Starc had a huge roar to the pacer, who had nothing to do but soak it in the end.

Watch: Mitchell Starc and Jayden Seales engaged in sledging during the WI vs AUS 3rd Test

Australia had already retained their Frank-Worrell Trophy, coming into the third fixture of the series at Sabina Park in Jamaica. In the first innings, the tourists got rolled over for just 225 runs on the board as none of the batters could reach a half-century. It wasn’t the sweetest performance ever from the home side with the bat.

stfu Jayden Seales, u don't sledge Mitchell Starc in the pink ball test, that's basic common sense 💀💀pic.twitter.com/AEnahAZAQK https://t.co/DaqAWXe7QW

— Debuu (SNation) (@They_callme_GG) July 14, 2025

The Roston Chase-led side got 143 runs in their first innings as only John Campbell crossed the 35-run mark. The rest of the line-up had no idea of how to face the touring pacers under the artificial lights. The ball kept swinging and nipping around in the air, making it incredibly hard for the batters.

Another inspiring performance with the ball, led by Alzarri Joseph’s five-wicket haul, saw the Aussies make only 121 runs in the second innings. But that was enough even only for the fourth innings as the Caribbean team blew away for just 27 with Starc enjoying a magical figure of 6/9 in the second innings of his 100th Test.

Scenes of absolute carnage ensued on day three of the third Test at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc wreaked havoc on the West Indian batters during the second innings to dismiss them cheaply for 27. The duo unleashed total mayhem on the fragile Windies batting lineup and left them utterly paralyzed. 

Starc and Boland were the pick of the bowlers, sharing nine wickets between them while Hazlewood chipped in with a solitary wicket to sink the home side inside the first hour for the second-lowest Test score. Amidst all the carnage, the 36-year-old Boland certainly hogged the limelight by claiming a sensational hat-trick. The underrated BGT Test hero etched his name in his record books by becoming the 10th Australian to bag a test hat-trick. 

However, Boland unlocked another rare record, which was previously not registered in a Day/Night (D/N) Test match. He becomes the first bowler to ever claim a hat-trick in a D/N test match. It's a feat he and Cricket Australia will treasure for generations to come. On the back of this fiery bowling performance, Australia were able to register an anihiliating 3-0 whitewash over the hosts.  

See also: [WATCH]: Mitchell Starc joins elite club of 400 Test wickets during WI vs AUS 3rd Test in Jamaica

Here is how the carnage unfolded

Boland’s Hat-trick Lights Up Sabina 🔥

Scott Boland rips through West Indies with a searing hat-trick as they collapse for 27 all out — their lowest Test score ever 😧#WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/uc8iPj3dS6

— FanCode (@FanCode) July 14, 2025

Australia's resistance did not last long as they were only able to add 23 runs to their overnight score of 99-6 before being folded for 122. Boland, who had previously picked up three wickets in the first innings, was in the mood to continue his prolific run with the ball. He got the ball rolling by getting Greaves out 11, off a thick outside edge during the 14th over. A ball later, Shamar followed suit as he was adjudged lbw following a successful review from Australia, which compelled the on-field umpire to reverse the decision to out. And in the end, Warrican succumbed in the third successive delivery, which jagged back in off the surface to rattle the top of his off stump. 

Boland had the West Indies by the scruff of their neck at that time as they were reeling at 26-9. They were level with New Zealand's lowest Test score of 26 and were in real danger of getting bundled out for the joint lowest Test score. But Alzarri was able to squeeze out a run in the next over and lift the Windies above the lowest-ever test score. 

Boland was on a roll in this Test match and returned outstanding figures of 6/36, while Starc, who was playing his 100th Test, finished with combined figures of 7/41 and was subsequently awarded the Player of the Match award (POTM). 

WI vs AUS 3rd Test:

• Australia: 225 and 121
• West Indies: 143 and 27
• Australia won by 176 runs

West Indies skittled for 27. A historic low for the Caribbeans in the longest format of the game. Australia demolished their batting lineup at Sabina Park. Mitchell Starc scripted the fastest 5-wicket haul in Test history, Scott Boland struck with a hat trick, and the West Indies were simply outclassed at their own yard. Seven 0s, one 6-wicket haul, and one hat trick—that’s the summary of the second innings of the third of three-match West Indies vs Australia (WI vs AUS) series. 

Sabina Park, mostly known as the hunting ground for the Pacers, got more spiced up due to some brilliant spells with the pink ball. The third match started with a 2-0 lead by Australia. After losing the series, the home team had only one target: fight for the pride. Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, Justin Greaves’ The West Indies did inspire bowling spells within the day-night test. But they lack heavily in their batting department. During the final run chase in the second innings, the WI batters had no clue how to face the seaming deliveries by a couple of Aussies.

Starc simply beat them by placing the ball at the perfect line and length, followed by movements. Without any crazy pace or surprising bounce, Mitchell Starc bagged 6 wickets in the second innings. He took only 15 balls to accomplish his 5-wicket figure, a dream 15-ball spell, absolutely unplayable, and arguably one of the best bowling spells in the Tests in modern-era cricket. Out of the eleven men of the West Indies batting line-up, seven heads went down and went back to the pavilion without scoring a single run. Three batters—Mikyle Louis, Shai Hope, and Greaves—scored 4, 2, and 11 runs, respectively. After a deadly spell by Starc, Scott Boland decorated the party with a hat trick.

Read More: WTC 2025-27 point's table after ENG vs IND 3rd Test at Lord's

Fall of wickets for West Indies:

0/1 (J. Campbell, 0.1 ov) · 0/2 (K. Anderson, 0.5 ov) · 0/3 (B. King, 0.6 ov) · 5/4 (M. Louis, 4.1 ov) · 7/5 (S. Hope, 4.3 ov) · 11/6 (R. Chase, 5.2 ov) · 26/7 (J. Greaves, 13.1 ov) · 26/8 (S. Joseph, 13.2 ov) · 26/9 (J. Warrican, 13.3 ov) · 27/10 (J. Seales, 14.3 ov)

Bowling figure of Starc in the second innings: 7.3-4-9-6-1.20

Bowling figure of Boland in the second innings: 2.0-1-2-3-1.00

Australia came into the third Test of the three-match series at Sabina Park in Jamaica, having already sealed the series by an unbeatable lead of 0-2. But all eyes were on their veteran left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc, who was celebrating his 100th red-ball fixture. And he celebrated it with his 400th wicket in the five-day format. 

Starc started the first over of the second innings of West Indies’ batting with 396 wickets and he got three wickets in the first six balls of the innings. On the very first ball, John Campbell’s feet didn’t move as he was tempted and carried his weight forward to get an outside edge into the hands of the wicket-keeper.

See Also: Watch: Mohammed Siraj's unlucky dismissal vs England in today's ENG vs IND 3rd Test match

Three balls later, Starc went with a beaming swinging delivery. Having faced out-swingers and straight deliveries on the previous three balls of the over, Kevlon Anderson decided to lift his bat and leave the ball. However, it came back sharp and hit him right on the foot as the shocking replay shows three reds to send the batter back in the hut.

Watch: Mitchell Starc joins 400 Test wicket club in 100th Test against West Indies in Jamaica

On the very next ball, Brandon King kept making the same mistakes as the first two batters. He went for another drive as another in-swinging delivery from the New South Wales pacer hit the pad of the batter and crashed into the middle and leg stump. The left-arm pacer, in the blink of an eye, reached 399 wickets.

𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 💥

Starc reaches 400 wickets in just 19,062 balls, making him the second-fastest ever behind only Dale Steyn 🐐🔥#WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/geZsDEZghR

— FanCode (@FanCode) July 14, 2025

However, the biggest moment came when he trapped Mikle Lewis with the same inswinger as the batter tried to block the ball with a minimum feet movement and left a big bat-pad gap for the ball to jag back and hit it. Starc joined an elite club of Australian bowlers- Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Nathan Lyon to celebrate 400 wickets in the longest format.

Two balls later, he trapped Shai Hope to celebrate his five-wicket haul and ended with final figures of 6/9 in 7.3 overs. The 35-year-old now has collected 402 wickets in 100 Tests at an average of just 27, shouldering 16 five-wicket hauls. Now his next mission will be the upcoming Ashes 2025/26 where his role will be as crucial as anybody with the new ball. 

The beautiful game of cricket has several intricacies, and fast bowling is one aspect that offers it sheer brilliance and sensation. Seeing a bowler at his mark, loading up with the ball as ammunition, striding ahead towards the crease, and delivering fast is an electrifying sight. Stepping up, setting the speed gun on fire, and hitting the top mark, visible as speed on the big screen, is an incredible moment in the game. As exciting as it can get, the chill of pace bowling is an immense source of adrenaline among the players and viewers. 

To master the skills of fast bowling, it takes a great amount of hard work, practice, rhythm, momentum, and innumerable accurate run-ups. To bowl the fastest ball in the match and for the history books is a beholding sight and requires immaculate strategies, strength, and consistency. To be counted as one of the fastest bowlers in the cricket world is a matter of humongous pride and an indication of pure greatness. 

Creating dread among the batters and overpowering them in the modern formats of the game is quite tough. Speed bowling is one tool, if employed and executed at its best, can bundle out the opposition in a jiffy. The protagonists of these are a rare species of players who possess the ball like venom and have set records for the same. Here is a look at the top ten fastest bowlers in the world who are currently in the game and actively plying their trade. 

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Mitchell Starc

The tall and lanky left-arm fast bowling sensation from Australia often takes the cricketing universe by storm because of his sensational pace. He is currently the fastest bowler in the world, having clocked an unimaginable speed of 99.7 miles per hour in a test match against New Zealand in 2015. His average speeds are in the high 140s kph, and his smooth action makes him look aesthetic while delivering balls. When he spearheads the bowling attack of any team, a fear is instilled among the batters, and this attribute has made him one of the highest wicket-takers for his nation, currently at 382 wickets in tests. His potent fitness while being a pacer is a testament to his focused approach towards meticulous practice, planning, and workload management. 

Haris Rauf

The skiddy bowler from Pakistan is a white ball specialist. He began his international career as a T20 player and soon got opportunities in the ODI circuit as well. He is tall, bangs the surface hard, and extracts extra bounce off the pitch. In a match against England in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, Australia, he bowled at 99 miles per hour, sending rocket waves across the bowling fraternity. He is a regular player in his national side and has accumulated 206 wickets, so far, in limited-overs cricket. His average bowling speed nears 150 kmph on many occasions. 

Lockie Ferguson

The Kiwi bowler is a great customer of batters' wickets. His sheer pace, complemented by impeccable bounce, line, and length, makes it extremely tough to score against him. His rhythmic bowling action makes his task look effortless. He regularly plays in the IPL and is a great asset for any team. Once in the 2022 season, playing for the Gujarat Titans against the Rajasthan Royals, he produced a magical delivery worth 157.3 kmph and set the speed gun ablaze. For New Zealand, he has, so far, taken 163 wickets in white ball cricket.

Umran Malik

The speedster from Jammu and Kashmir was the talk of the town even before his debut in professional cricket. His raw pace, coupled with youthful energy, made him a fast bowling sensation. This put him in the category of a rare breed of pacers, an asset that could serve India and IPL cricket for years to come. In the 2022 IPL season, playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad against the Delhi Capitals, he bowled a superfast delivery, measured at 157 kmph in the speed metrics. It became the second fastest ball in that season and earned him a place in the National side. He, however, has been very unfortunate with injuries and has missed out on a lot of game time over the years, hoping to return very soon and produce similar goods for which he became popular. 

Mayank Yadav

Mayank Yadav rose in the ranks while playing for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2024 season of IPL. His impressive performances from the time he got an opportunity made the cricket pundits and viewers talk about him quite a lot on social media. In a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he clocked a top speed of 156.7 kmph and took everyone by surprise. Delivering that fast at a tender age and also scalping a few wickets made him a player to watch out for ahead. He, too, has lacked the rub of the green in his strides and has dealt with injuries very frequently. 

Mark Wood

The English quick is one of the fastest bowlers in the world and among only a few who possess the ability to turn the tide in his team's favour purely by fiery pace bowling. He sprints like an athlete and delivers fire. At times, his absence from the England team make their attack look bleak and without any venom. Of late, his improved fitness has made him play a lot more matches than he used to in the past, and that is good for the game itself. During the test tour of Pakistan in 2022, he bowled a ball at 156.6 kmph and became the fastest bowler in England's history. He has taken 255 wickets across formats for his nation yet. 

Anrich Nortje

The South African right-arm speedster has an average bowling speed of around 150 kmph. His bowling resonates with business, and so does his serious looks. Playing for the Delhi Capitals and bowling to Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler, he sent waves across the world by recording a gobsmacking speed of 156.22 kmph. The Protea pacer, however, has been less economical over the years and has gone for a few in his overs on numerous occasions. Injuries have pegged him back quite a lot. He currently bowls quick but needs to be smart enough in disguising the batters to sustain himself further in the game. 

Kagiso Rabada

Another bowler hailing from South Africa is an all-format player for the National side. Known for his consistency, Rabada has been a go-to bowler for whichever team he has played in, at all levels. He might lack express pace when compared to other bowlers in the list, but if coupled with the right line and lengths, it apparently seems quite threatening. In IPL 2019, he produced a delivery having a speed of 154.23 kmph. Kagiso has 327 test wickets to his name. 

Jofra Archer

The Caribbean-born pacer became eligible to play for England in 2019 and was fast-tracked into the National side just before the ODI World Cup scheduled in the same year. This news sent seismic waves across the cricket world, and Jofra Archer has been associated with sheer pace since his inception. His raw speed and unparalleled accuracy make it a nightmare for opposition batters, and time and again, he has displayed that. 2019 was a glorious year for him, and he made his name by performing impressively well in the World Cup and the Ashes. 

Mohammad Shami

The Indian pace bowler is known to have the best seam position of the ball. He makes the ball talk at his own will, seaming and swinging notoriously. Delivered at a great pace, it becomes extremely difficult for the batters to negotiate his overs and spells, especially in the longest format of the game. His action is flawless and equivalent to poetry in cricket. His skills affirm the fact that fast bowling is all about rhythm. For India, Shami has struck 462 times across the three formats.