WATCH: Top 3 fastest deliveries bowled by Shoaib Akhtar in International Cricket

When the question arises as to who is the fastest bowler in the world, there is not much debate. Although there have been many pacers who have bowled at express pace over the years, the true holder of this tag is Shoaib Akhtar, aka ‘Rawalpindi Express. With an intimidating sprint to the crease along with raw pace and bounce, the former Pakistan pacer has been a nightmare for many world-class batsmen.

The right-handed seamer, who made his international debut in 1997, has represented the Men in Green in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is, taking 178, 247 and 19 wickets respectively. Regardless of the format, facing him brings shivers down the batsman's spine. As the legendary turns 49 today (August 13), let’s take a look at his top three fastest deliveries in international cricket.

Also Read: Shoaib Akhtar moved by Neeraj Chopra’s mother’s million-dollar comment on Arshad Nadeem

Here are Shoaib Akhtar’s top 3 fastest deliveries:

3. 158.4 km/hr vs England, 2003  

The 2003 Cricket World Cup will always be remembered for Akhtar's dazzling pace. All three of his fastest deliveries were in the same tournament. Akhtar registered his third-fastest delivery of 158.4 km/h against England. The English opener Nick Knight was taken aback by his ferocious pace as he could do nothing but block.

2. 159.5 km/hr vs England, 2003

One fact hidden in the above paragraph is that all three of Akhtar's fastest balls were against a single opponent in the same match. Again, it was Nick Knight at the receiver’s end. Bowling the second over of his spell, the Pakistan pace spearhead hit 159.5 kmph. However, the left-handed batter managed to survive.

Also Check: WATCH: Mark Wood's 156.2kmph bullet shocks Windies opener Mikyle Louis in ENG vs WI 2nd Test

1. 161.3 km/hr vs England, 2003

Due to a faulty speedometer at Lahore, Akhtar was denied his 161.0 km/h record by the ICC in a match against New Zealand. However, it did not take the tall pacer to set the benchmark. Akhtar clocked 161.3 kmph on the last ball of the same over against Knight in the 2003 World Cup.

This record remains unbeaten even after two decades. Australia’s Shoun Tait is second on the list with 161.1 km/hr. Although Akhtar failed to take Knight's wicket, this terrific over established him as one of the most lethal and fastest bowlers in cricket history.

Watch the video below:  

1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣․2️⃣ MPH! ⚡️#OnThisDay in 2003, @shoaib100mph bowled the fastest ball in recorded history against England at the @cricketworldcup! 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/D0YSkSyAUm

— ICC (@ICC) February 22, 2018