Shabnim Ismail shatters record with fastest delivery ever in women's cricket

NEW DELHI: Former South African pacer Shabnim Ismail created history on Tuesday when she bowled the fastest delivery ever recorded in women's cricket. The right arm broke through the 130km/h barrier while playing in the Women's Premier League (WPL) in India.

Ismail broke the record with a delivery that clocked the speed of 132.1km/h (82.08mph) when bowling for the Mumbai Indians in their Women's Premier League (WPL) clash against the Delhi Capitals at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

It was the first time that a delivery in women's cricket had been clocked at a speed greater than 130km/h, with Ismail's thunderbolt smashing into the pad of former Australia captain Meg Lanning on the second ball of the third over of the match. Ismail, who appeared for South Africa in all eight previous ICC Women's T20 World Cups and only retired from international cricket following last year's tournament on home soil, had previously been clocked as bowling at 128km/h (79.54mph) against the West Indies in 2016 and at 127km/h twice during the most recent edition of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in 2022. Ismail (34) played 127 ODIs, 113 T20Is and a solitary Test for South Africa in an international career spanning 16 years.

Hailed as the fastest bowler in the women's game, the South African collected 317 international wickets. Her overall tally in international cricket includes 3 Test wickets, 191 ODI scalps and 123 wickets in T20Is. When quizzed about breaking the record during a post-match interview, Ismail played down the effort and indicated she "does not actually look at the big screen when I am bowling."

Ismail's efforts were in vain as she delivered four expensive overs to finish with figures of 1/46 as the Indians went down to the Capitals by 29 runs in Delhi. Put to field first by Mumbai, Delhi Capitals made 192/4 in their 20 overs, with half-centuries coming from Jemimah Rodrigues (69* in 33 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and skipper Lanning (53 in 38 balls, with six fours and two sixes).

In the chase of 193, MI lost quick wickets and at one point were 68/5. Knocks from Amanjot Kaur (42 in 27 balls, with seven fours) and Sajeevan Sajana (24 in 14 balls, with three fours and a six) helped MI put up a fight, but ended their innings at 163/8, they fell way short of a win. Jess Jonassen (3/21) and Marizanne Kapp (2/37) were the pick of the bowlers for DC. DC has climbed to the top of the points table with four wins in five games and eight points. MI is at number three, with three wins in five games and six points.