Mumbai Indians pacer Shabnim Ismail records the fastest delivery in women's cricket during WPL 2024

Former South African fast bowler Shabnim Ismail entered the record books in the 12th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Shabnim Ismail bowled the fastest delivery in women’s cricket during the WPL 2024 fixture between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians.

The Delhi Capitals recorded a 29-run victory against the Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday, March 5. The Mumbai Indians failed to chase the 193-run target. The MIW team suffered their second loss in the ongoing T20 tournament.

Shabnim Ismail Breaks World Record During WPL 2024

Shabnim Ismail set a new record in women’s cricket, shattering the 130 km/h barrier. The pace bowler delivered a thunderous ball at 132.1 km/h (82.08 mph). It marked the first instance of a delivery in women’s cricket being clocked at a speed greater than 130 km/h.

In the third over of the innings, Shabnim Ismail bowled a lightning-fast delivery to Delhi captain Meg Lanning, who failed to connect with the ball, resulting in it striking her front pad. Despite the Mumbai Indians’ appeal for LBW, the on-field umpire ruled it not out.

Don’t Actually Look At Things Like That – Shabnim Ismail

During the mid-innings interview, Shabnim Ismail was asked about her record-breaking delivery. The veteran pacer admitted to not being aware of it during her bowling spell.

“I don’t actually look at things like that. Honestly, the wicket was a bit quicker than what I thought, it was in between at the start, wasn’t too sure but Delhi played well on that track. We never actually thought about the score we’re going to restrict them, we just wanted to bowl well but they capitalized on things,” Ismail said.

During her international career, Ismail came close to surpassing the 130 km/h barrier. She holds the record for the fastest delivery in women’s international cricket, reaching 128 km/h against the West Indies in 2016. She also reached speeds of 127 km/h twice and nearly broke her record during the 2022 T20 World Cup in South Africa.

Shabnim Ismail Fails To Make Impact With Ball

Ismail conceded 46 runs across four overs as Delhi put up a total of 192 runs in the first innings. Despite struggling against Meg Lanning’s side, she claimed one wicket within her quota. Shafali Verma, who started aggressively, was dismissed by Ismail during the powerplay.

Lanning and Shafali’s aggressive batting set the tone, with Shafali scoring 28 runs off 12 balls and Lanning adding 53 runs from 38 balls. Jemimah Rodrigues remained unbeaten on 69 off 33, featuring 8 fours and 3 sixes, giving DC the upper hand before the break.

In the run chase, Mumbai faced early setbacks, collapsing to 29/3 in three overs. Amanjot Kaur scored 42 runs off 27 deliveries, while Sanjeevan Sajana contributed 24 runs off 14 balls towards the end. Despite their efforts, the Mumbai-based team couldn’t secure a win.

Currently, the Delhi Capitals lead the points table with four victories in five matches, securing eight points. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians hold the third position, having secured three wins out of five games.

Also read: WPL Auction 2024: Shabnim Ismail Bought By Mumbai Indians For INR 1.2 Crore