Sports

Did Hassan Ali Really Break Shoaib Akhtar’s Fastest Bowling Record?

Having been on the receiving end of heavy criticism from cricket fans for his lackluster showing at the 2021 T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s ‘strike bowler’ Hassan Ali has once again caught the attention of the usual fan base but for an entirely different reason.

The 2017 Champion’s Trophy hero marked an impressive comeback in the first T20I of the three-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Dhaka and made headlines for bowling a record 219kph delivery in his first few overs.

But did he really do it? The short answer is no.

It is impossible for a human to bowl at that speed, and obviously, something went wrong with the speed gun. Fans were quick to notice the increased speed and reacted with hysteria on social media.

So rest assured that cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar still holds the record for clocking the fastest ball at 161.3 kph, a feat he achieved when Pakistan played against England at Capetown almost 18 years ago.

Pakistan is currently playing the three-match T20I series in Bangladesh, and will later play a two-match Test series. The tour commenced on 19 November with the first T20I.

The Test series is a part of the ICC World Test Championship and both teams will be determined to take the maximum points and keep themselves in the race to qualify for the World Test Championship Final in 2023.

Share
Published by
Ahsan Gardezi