Fastest Ball in IPL
Lockie Ferguson bowled the fastest ball of IPL 2025, a 153.2 km/h delivery for Punjab Kings against Lucknow Super Giants on 1 April 2025. The all-time IPL record, however, still belongs to Shaun Tait, whose 157.7 km/h ball for Rajasthan Royals in 2011 has stood for 15 years. This article answers the 2025 question directly, then puts it in full context: the all-time record, a season-by-season table of verified fastest balls, and the 2026 update, through the completed 2026 season that ended with the final on 31 May 2026.
The fastest ball of IPL 2025: Lockie Ferguson at 153.2 km/h
Ferguson’s 153.2 km/h delivery came early in the 2025 season, in Punjab Kings’ match against Lucknow Super Giants. It was the quickest ball of the tournament and the only delivery of the season recorded above 153 km/h. Ferguson, a New Zealand fast bowler known for sustained express pace, had already owned the second-fastest ball in IPL history from 2022, so his place at the top of the 2025 chart surprised no one.
The rest of the 2025 speed chart sat close behind. Jofra Archer of Rajasthan Royals reached 152.3 km/h against Gujarat Titans on 9 April, including a short ball that hurried Sai Sudharsan and a 151.3 km/h delivery against Punjab Kings. Anrich Nortje of Kolkata Knight Riders and Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans both reached 151.6 km/h, and Nortje added further deliveries at 151.5 and 151.2 km/h. Prasidh Krishna crossed 150 km/h, and Mohammed Siraj reached 149.6 km/h.
| Rank | Bowler | Team | Speed (km/h) | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockie Ferguson | Punjab Kings | 153.2 | Lucknow Super Giants |
| 2 | Jofra Archer | Rajasthan Royals | 152.3 | Gujarat Titans |
| 3 | Anrich Nortje | Kolkata Knight Riders | 151.6 | Punjab Kings |
| 4 | Kagiso Rabada | Gujarat Titans | 151.6 | Punjab Kings |
| 5 | Jofra Archer | Rajasthan Royals | 151.3 | Punjab Kings |
| 6 | Prasidh Krishna | Gujarat Titans | 150.6 | Kolkata Knight Riders |
What the 2025 chart shows is depth rather than a peak. Six bowlers crossed 150 km/h, which reflects how common genuine pace has become, but nobody came within 4 km/h of Tait’s all-time mark. The 2025 season was fast across the board without producing a single historic delivery.
The all-time IPL record: Shaun Tait at 157.7 km/h
Shaun Tait’s 157.7 km/h delivery for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Daredevils in 2011 remains the fastest ball ever bowled in the IPL. The Australian quick, famous for a slingy, high-effort action, produced the delivery against Aaron Finch, and no bowler in the 15 seasons since has beaten it.
The all-time list below shows how durable the record is. Four of the top five fastest balls came between 2011 and 2024, and none of the 2025 or 2026 season leaders got within 3 km/h of Tait’s mark.
| Rank | Bowler | Team | Speed (km/h) | Opponent | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaun Tait | Rajasthan Royals | 157.7 | Delhi Daredevils | 2011 |
| 2 | Lockie Ferguson | Gujarat Titans | 157.3 | Rajasthan Royals | 2022 |
| 3 | Umran Malik | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 157.0 | Delhi Capitals | 2022 |
| 4 | Mayank Yadav | Lucknow Super Giants | 156.7 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2024 |
| 5 | Anrich Nortje | Delhi Capitals | 156.2 | Rajasthan Royals | 2020 |
| 6 | Ashok Sharma | Gujarat Titans | 154.2 | Rajasthan Royals | 2026 |
Umran Malik’s 157.0 km/h in 2022 is the fastest ball ever bowled by an Indian bowler in the IPL, and it came in the same season as Ferguson’s 157.3 km/h, making 2022 the fastest single season in league history. Mayank Yadav’s 156.7 km/h in 2024 announced another Indian quick, and his debut season produced two of the fastest spells of recent years.
IPL fastest ball by season: verified season leaders
The season-by-season table below lists the fastest delivery of each season where a published, verifiable speed-gun figure exists. Early IPL seasons did not consistently publish season-fastest figures, so the table covers the seasons with confirmed marks rather than guessing at the rest. Where a season’s fastest ball is not documented in published speed-gun records, it is left out instead of estimated.
| Season | Bowler | Team | Fastest ball (km/h) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Shaun Tait | Rajasthan Royals | 157.7 | All-time IPL record, still unbroken |
| 2012 | Dale Steyn | Deccan Chargers | 154.4 | Steyn bowled three of the four fastest balls that season |
| 2020 | Anrich Nortje | Delhi Capitals | 156.2 | Fastest ball of the UAE-hosted season |
| 2022 | Lockie Ferguson | Gujarat Titans | 157.3 | Umran Malik reached 157.0 in the same season |
| 2024 | Mayank Yadav | Lucknow Super Giants | 156.7 | Set against Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2025 | Lockie Ferguson | Punjab Kings | 153.2 | Subject of this article |
| 2026 | Ashok Sharma | Gujarat Titans | 154.2 | Yorker to Dhruv Jurel, last ball of the 16th over |
Two patterns stand out. First, the all-time record came in 2011, not in the modern era, which shows that raw pace is not simply increasing with time. Second, 2022 was the only season with two deliveries above 157 km/h, which makes it the deepest pace season in IPL history even though its fastest ball did not break the record.
The 2026 update: Ashok Sharma at 154.2 km/h
Because this article’s title names 2025, readers need the 2026 picture as well, since the 2026 season is now complete. Gujarat Titans pacer Ashok Sharma bowled the fastest ball of IPL 2026 at 154.2 km/h, a yorker to Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel on the final delivery of the 16th over at the Narendra Modi Stadium on 4 April 2026.
Sharma’s delivery beat the earlier 2026 benchmark of 150.9 km/h set by Anrich Nortje, and it ranked sixth on the all-time IPL fastest-ball list. The 23-year-old, who had been Rajasthan’s leading wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, consistently bowled above 145 km/h through his spell and crossed 150 twice in the same over. He finished the match with one wicket, dismissing Shimron Hetmyer, in a spell of one for 37.
The 2026 season’s other quicks included Jamie Overton of Chennai Super Kings at 151.2 km/h, Nortje at 150.9 km/h, and Kagiso Rabada at 150.7 km/h. None of them threatened Tait’s record, but the spread of bowlers crossing 150 km/h confirmed that express pace is now a league-wide feature rather than a rare event.
Why the 2025 season did not threaten the record
Three factors explain why 2025 produced depth but no record. First, the quickest bowlers were managed carefully: Ferguson, Archer, and Nortje all had recent injury histories, and teams rationed their maximum-effort balls. Second, modern T20 bowling rewards variation over raw pace, so bowlers mix slower balls, cutters, and wide yorkers with their quickest deliveries rather than chasing the speed gun every ball. Third, the record itself sits at the edge of human capability: the gap between 153.2 and 157.7 km/h is far larger than it looks, because every additional kilometre per hour above 150 demands a disproportionate increase in physical effort.
Pitch conditions also matter. Faster, bouncier surfaces reward pace, while slower surfaces punish it, since the ball arrives at a hittable speed and sits up for the batter. The 2025 season’s pitches generally favoured control over outright speed, which pushed bowlers toward accuracy rather than the speed gun.
How IPL bowling speeds are measured
IPL bowling speeds are measured with radar guns that track the ball as it leaves the bowler’s hand and report the speed at release. The ball then slows by roughly 10 to 15 km/h through the air, so the speed at the batter’s end is considerably lower than the published figure. Broadcast graphics show the release speed, which is the standard used across all the figures in this article.
Measurement consistency matters when comparing seasons. Within a single tournament, the same equipment and methods are used throughout, so the season ranking is reliable. Comparing a 2011 reading with a 2026 reading carries slightly more uncertainty, because equipment has changed, but the differences are small relative to the gaps in the table. Tait’s 157.7 km/h remains the record under any reasonable reading of the measurement evidence.
One disputed figure is worth addressing directly. A delivery by Gerald Coetzee in 2024 was reported at 157.4 km/h in some coverage, but broadcasters did not include it in their official fastest-ball lists, and the widely published record table excludes it. This article follows the widely published record table, which is why Coetzee does not appear in the all-time list above.
What it takes to bowl the fastest ball in the IPL
Bowling above 155 km/h requires a run-up that generates maximum momentum, a braced front leg that transfers that momentum upward, fast hip and shoulder rotation, and a late wrist snap. A flaw at any stage costs several kilometres per hour, which is why even elite fast bowlers only touch their top speed a few times per match.
Fitness is the hidden constraint. Bowling at 150 km/h or above places enormous loads on the back, knees, ankles, hamstrings, and shoulders, and fast bowlers who chase the speed gun every ball break down. The bowlers who hold the records above all managed their effort: Tait, Ferguson, Umran, Mayank, and Sharma each produced their fastest ball as a peak-effort delivery inside a controlled spell, not as an every-ball attempt.
For the league-wide picture, the fastest bowler in IPL page tracks the league’s pace marks in more depth, while the IPL records page covers the full set of IPL bowling landmarks through the completed 2026 season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who bowled the fastest ball in IPL 2025?
Lockie Ferguson bowled the fastest ball of IPL 2025, a 153.2 km/h delivery for Punjab Kings against Lucknow Super Giants on 1 April 2025.
What is the fastest ball in IPL history?
Shaun Tait holds the all-time IPL record at 157.7 km/h, bowled for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Daredevils in 2011. The record has stood for 15 seasons.
Who bowled the fastest ball in IPL 2026?
Ashok Sharma of Gujarat Titans bowled the fastest ball of IPL 2026 at 154.2 km/h, a yorker to Dhruv Jurel against Rajasthan Royals on 4 April 2026.
Who is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL history?
Umran Malik is the fastest Indian bowler in IPL history at 157.0 km/h, recorded for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Delhi Capitals in 2022. Mayank Yadav follows at 156.7 km/h.
Why did no one break the record in 2025?
The 2025 season had six bowlers above 150 km/h, but none came within 4 km/h of Tait’s 157.7 km/h. Injury management, an emphasis on variation over raw pace, and the extreme physical demands of bowling above 155 km/h all kept the record safe.
How is IPL bowling speed measured?
Speeds are measured with radar guns at the point of release. The ball slows by roughly 10 to 15 km/h through the air, so the published figure is the release speed, not the speed at which the ball reaches the batter.