Shabnim Ismail, renowned for her blistering pace, has long held the reputation as one of the fastest bowlers in women’s cricket. Despite her retirement from international cricket, her prowess with the ball remains unparalleled. On a significant Tuesday during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) match, Ismail etched her name in history books by reportedly surpassing the elusive 130 kilometers per hour mark, marking the fastest recorded delivery in women’s cricket to date.
Shabnim Ismail’s Record-Breaking Delivery
However, the circumstances surrounding this remarkable feat added an intriguing twist to the narrative. Following a brief hiatus due to injury, Ismail returned to the field for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals, visibly amping up her pace in the opening overs. As she approached the crease to deliver the first ball of the third over with Meg Lanning at the batting end, the broadcast featured an intriguing poll question: “Will Shabnim Ismail break the 130kph barrier?” Subsequently, they showcased Ismail’s top recorded speeds in the WPL, with 127.2 kilometers per hour being the previous highest. The ICC also tweeted their congratulations to Shabnim Ismail.
Remarkably, the very next delivery, a fullish cross-seam ball that struck Lanning’s pads, displayed an astounding figure on the screen: 138.3 kilometers per hour. Despite the momentous revelation, the players, including Ismail herself, were engrossed in the LBW appeal discussion and the potential review, momentarily overshadowing the significance of the speed displayed. With the speed disappearing from the screen and the players dispersing, the broadcasters remained silent, presumably unaware of the milestone moment that had just unfolded.
In the 16th over, as Ismail returned to conclude her spell, the broadcasters revisited the earlier discussion. “A little earlier, we asked the question if Shabnim will break that barrier,” remarked the commentator on air. “And here’s the answer, the fastest delivery of the night was 132.1 kilometers per hour. That is slippery.”
Ismail’s Modest Response
During the innings break, Ismail was questioned about the moment, to which she downplayed its significance, hinting at her dissatisfaction with her overall performance that night. “I’m not sure, I don’t actually look at the big screen when I am bowling,” she responded modestly.
The variation between the two speed readings could be attributed to the inherent inconsistencies of instantaneous speed guns. Moreover, the absence of independent verification in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) exacerbates this uncertainty. John Leather, a seasoned cricket statistician specializing in women’s cricket, sheds light on this issue, stating, “There’s the speed gun reading, which is what is shown as the ball is bowled and can be very variable, and then there’s ball tracking which is more accurate, though can still produce anomalies.”
Leather elaborates further, suggesting that the later quoted speed of 132 kilometers per hour might have been derived from ball-tracking data. However, the absence of access to tracking data for the WPL from companies like Opta and CricViz leaves this conjecture unverified.
Ismail’s Speed Goals and WPL Ball Speed Anomalies
Despite the discrepancies, there’s no denying that Ismail has long been poised to break the speed barrier. Reflecting on her aspirations last season while playing for UP Warriorz, she expressed her determination to achieve this feat. “Yeah, 100%.
It is on my list, that is why I go to the gym all the time, to get stronger. Not really looking the part yet (laughs), but hopefully, I can get there soon. Looking forward to it, I am doing all the hard yards behind the scenes,” she remarked in an interview.
