Quick read: A ranked guide to cricket's most famous extreme-pace bowlers.
Shoaib Akhtar
Associated with the famous 161.3 kph delivery.
Brett Lee
Repeated high pace and pushed beyond 160 kph at peak.
Shaun Tait
Slinging action and frightening short bursts.
Jeff Thomson
Widely regarded as one of the fastest before modern tracking became standard.
Mitchell Starc
Left-arm angle, swing and extreme yorker pace.
Andy Roberts
Pace plus a sharp cricket brain.
Fidel Edwards
Skiddy action and rush from a lower trajectory.
Mitchell Johnson
Pace and bounce that broke batting orders in 2013-14.
Mohammad Sami
Very high speed ceiling.
Jofra Archer
Smooth action that hides pace until too late.
The fastest bowlers are feared because batters have less time to make a good decision.
Research and reference links
Last reviewed: June 2, 2026. Rankings are editorial where no official all-time ranking exists.