The South African right-arm quick Anrich Nortje was a revelation for Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and had stolen all the limelight with his exploits with the ball. The tall fast bowler was roped in as a replacement for Chris Woakes and the move proved to be a masterstroke for the Capitals.

Throughout the Indian league, Nortje was successful in terrifying the opposition and sending shivers down their spine with his pace and accurate length. Also, he managed to crank up the speedometer with his blistering speed quite a few times. The 27-year-old had created history by bowling the fastest delivery in the history of IPL as he clocked the speed of 156.22 kmph in a match against Rajasthan Royals.

Interestingly, the South African speed merchant bowled the second and third-fastest delivery of the T20 extravaganza as well after recording a pace of 155.21 and 154.74 respectively. While for many this record might seem unbreakable, IPL boasts of having several speed guns who have the charisma to own the prestigious record.

Here is the list of 5 bowlers who can break Anrich Nortje’s record of the fastest ball (156.22 kmph) in IPL: –

1. Jofra Archer

With pace, precision, late swing and a lethal bouncer, England’s Jofra Archer has shown all the attributes of dominating world cricket. The right-arm pacer had started his journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2018 with Rajasthan Royals (RR) and since then he has not looked back. He is one of the vital cogs of RR’s line-up and has cracked the speedometer often with his fierce deliveries.

Archer had constantly fired searing thunderbolts in the 13th edition of the T20 extravaganza as he notched the fastest delivery of his cricket career, which was bowled at 153.62 kph. The England pacer was successful in terrifying the opposition by clocking the ball at a speed of 150 kph+ for a notable number of times.

Thus, it won’t be a surprise if the Barbados-born seamer breaks the record made by Anrich Nortje of bowling the fastest delivery of the Indian league in the coming editions. In his three-year run in the IPL, Archer has managed to scalp 46 wickets in 35 games at an economy of 7.13 and average of 21.3.

2. Kagiso Rabada

South Africa’s pace sensation Kagiso Rabada is capable of giving nightmares to the opposition as he is pacy, skiddy and accurate. The right-arm quick can bowl inswingers and outswingers with both the new and old ball and also has nasty bouncers and toe-crushing yorkers in his kitty.

In his short career of four years in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the 25-year-old seamer hailing from Johannesburg has managed to stamp his authority by having a stunning 61 scalps to his name in just 35 games at an economy rate of 8.23. He is already considered as one of the greatest seamers in IPL and South Africa cricket.

Having frequently clocked the deliveries at a speed of 150 kmph+, Rabada has the skill and talent of bowling one of his deliveries at a lethal speed of 156.22 kmph+. As of now, his fastest delivery of all time is clocked at 154.23 kmph.

3. Mitchell Starc

Australia’s deadly left-arm quick Mitchell Starc belongs to one of the rare categories of bowlers who can swing the new as well as the old ball with a pace over 145 kmph. With those toe-crushing Yorkers and that too with reverse swing, Starc can destabilize any opposition anywhere in the world.

The 30-year-old has already achieved the remarkable feat of touching the esteemed speed of 160 kmph+ in international cricket. The left-arm quick was recorded bowling a yorker at 160.4 kph during a Test against New Zealand at WACA on November 2015.

The left-arm seamer will definitely love to “get that speed gun up” again and can repeat his heroics with the ball in the Indian Premier League if he participates in the tournament. Starc had opted out of IPL 2020 for preparing his body physically and mentally for the T20 World Cup 2020, which has now been rescheduled to 2021 in India.

4. Lockie Ferguson

New Zealand’s right-arm speedster Lockie Ferguson is one of the few fast bowlers in New Zealand who can bowl at a steady pace. With the batsmen wielding their willow, Ferguson has not stayed back from trying the best weapon in his arsenal and hurling his fastest deliveries to trouble the batsmen.

Lockie bowls continuously at a speed of 150 kmph. He has also bowled at a speed of 153 km during first-class matches along with clocking a delivery at an amazing speed of 151.69 kmph in the 13th edition of the T20 Championship.

The seamer features for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and has 11 wickets to his name in 14 games at an economy rate of 8.50. However, one should not go by his numbers in IPL as Ferguson is constantly rising through the ranks as one of the most successful pacers of the marquee league.

5. Jasprit Bumrah

Since his debut for India at the big stage on January 23, 2016, against Australia, pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah has emerged as India’s gun bowler in all the three formats of the game. Bumrah, also known as the Yorker King, belongs to that rare breed of fast bowlers who know how to constantly bowl at a speed of 150 kmph and above.

The right-arm fast bowler, hailing from Ahmedabad had bowled the fastest delivery of his career during the first Test of the four-match Test series against Australia in 2018 at Adelaide Oval as one of his balls had clocked 153 km/hr. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Bumrah represents Mumbai Indians (MI) and has managed to rattle the opposition with his raw pace and lethal deliveries.

In 92 IPL games, India’s pace sensation has scalped a whopping 109 wickets at an economy of 7.41 and average of 23.7. Bumrah is a prime contender for breaking the prestigious record by Nortje in the coming years.