Ex-Pakistan Player Claims 'Sir Don Bradman Considered Him The Fastest Bowler'

Pakistan has produced a number of fast bowling talents right from the inception of the game. Former Pakistan Farooq Hamid, who represented the national team during the 1960s, said that many international cricketers including the likes of Test great Sir Don Bradman considered him the fastest bowler.

Hamid, who featured in only one Test for Pakistan, said that the likes of Imtiaz Ahmed and Zaheer Abbas considered him faster than Charlie Griffith of the West Indies during his time. He also added that while he was playing for the Commonwealth XI in Pakistan batting great Rohan Kanhai was floored by his lethal bouncer.

“Many international cricket personalities such as great Sir Don Bradman besides or [our] own Imtiaz Ahmed, Zaheer Abbas and others considered me as the fastest bowler, even faster than Charlie Griffith of the West Indies,” Hamid said in an interview with Dawn.

“On that tour [playing for the Commonwealth XI in Pakistan], great batsman Rohan Kanhai was floored by my lethal bouncer. Later, the commentators said that I was much quicker than Griffith. I must have been bowling at around 110-115 miles per hour I think.”

Hamid picked up only one wicket from the one Test match he featured in. The right-handed fast bowler claims that he clocked 100-miles an hour during his hey days. The 75-year-old has featured in 43 first-class matches, where he picked up 111 wickets at an average of 25.21, with the best bowling figures of 7/16. He has three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul to his name.

The record for the fastest delivery in international cricket belongs to former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. He raked up 161.3 kmph on the speed gun while bowling at England batsman Nick Knight during the 2003 World Cup.