WPL 2024: Shabnim Ismail bowls fastest ball in women’s cricket, breaches 130 kmph barrier
The HinduSouth African pacer Shabnim Ismail created history by bowling the fastest delivery ever recorded in women’s cricket, breaching the 130 km/h barrier for the first time since the introduction of speed guns. Playing for Mumbai Indians in its Women’s Premier League match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Ismail shattered the record by clocking 132.1 km/h, her thunderbolt smashing into the pad of former Australia captain Meg Lanning. 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 128 km/h against West Indies in 2016 and at 127 km/h twice during the most recent edition of the Women’s World Cup in 2022. Ismail, however, delivered four expensive overs to finish with figures of one for 46 as Mumbai Indians went down to Delhi Capitals by 29 runs.