Watch: Faster than Umran Malik? Pakistan's Mohammad Sami claims to have bowled the fastest ball in cricket

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Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Umran Malik has become the talk of the town for his fast and furious bowling in the ongoing IPL 2022. In the match against Gujarat Titans, the 22-year-old clocked 153 KMPH which is the fastest ball in the history of IPL. However, a former Pakistan pacer has claimed that he has bowled faster than Umran. In fact, his claim makes him the fastest bowler in the history of cricket, faster than Shoaib Akhtar. 

#OnThisDay in 2002, Mohammad Sami recorded an ODI hat-trick against West Indies at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Pakistan won the match by 51 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series.

Scorecard: https://t.co/kDZBHY6Srk pic.twitter.com/CqBFEvhlmU — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 15, 2022

Sami, who had made a devastating pair for Pakistan with fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, claimed that he had breached the 160 kph mark on two occasions during a game and that his speeds were better than Akhtar. Pakistan's pacer Akhtar recorded the fastest delivery ever in international cricket (161.3 kph) against New Zealand in 2002.

"I bowled two balls at more than 160kmph in a match, one was 162 and the other was 164. After that, it was said that the bowling machine (speed gun) was not working. So, the balls were not counted," Sami told paktv.tv.

Sami, who represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 87 ODIs, and 13 T20Is, said that the bowlers who have breached the 160 kph mark have only been able to do so on a few occasions. Officially, Sami has recorded the fastest deliveries in his international career at 156.4 kph during an ODI against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 2003.

"Even if you look at bowling history overall, the bowlers who have crossed the 160 kph-limited have done it only once or twice. It's not like they kept doing it continuously" he said.

The former Pakistan speedster debuted against New Zealand at Auckland Test in March 2001 and played his final game for the side against Australia in March 2016.

-With Inputs From IANS