Shabnim Ismail records fastest ball in women’s cricket in DC vs MI WPL 2024 match | Cricket News
Mumbai Indians pacer Shabnim Ismail recorded the fastest ball in recorded women’s cricket, having breached the 130kph barrier during the Women’s Premier League (WPL 2024) match against Delhi Capitals in Delhi on Tuesday. Ismail delivered a 132.1kph delivery as per the speed-gun on broadcast.
Shabnim’s fuller delivery, the second of the third over in the match, hit Capitals skipper Meg Lanning on the front pad. MI appealed for a leg-before before it was turned down the umpire.
The 35-year-old had previously bowled a 128.3kph delivery in the WPL 2024 season opener against Capitals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
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Ismail downplayed her effort post-match stating that she “doesn’t actually look at the big screen when I’m bowling.”
Returning to the XI after missing a couple of matches, Ismail had a pale outing, conceding 46 runs in four overs for a solitary wicket. The Capitals piled on 192 for four in 20 overs before restricting Mumbai to earn a 29-run win.
Shabnim Ismail bowled the 132.1kph delivery to Delhi Capitals skipper Meg Lanning.
The South Africa pacer also holds the record for the fastest deliveries bowled in international women’s cricket, having touched 128kph against West Indies in 2016 before crossing 127kph twice in the 2022 ODI World Cup. In the T20 World Cup in 2023, Ismail was regarded to have bowled one of the fastest overs ever in women’s cricket, with speeds of 119, 122, 126, 120, 125, 128 in an over against England.
Ismail retired from international cricket in May 2023 shortly after the T20 World Cup at home, marking an end to a career spanning 16 yeards. She appeared for the Proteas in 241 internationals, picking up 317 wickets across formats. She remains as the second-highest wicket-take in women’s ODIs (191) while leading the charts for South Africa in T20Is (123).
