Spin bowling has been the epitome of art, flight, and turn, but some have gone against the norm and saw spinners produce deliveries that had spectators and players at out with what came out of the bowler’s hand, which in turn went well over 90 kph. While it is in the spinners’ bag to deliver precise balls rather than fast ones, some have put that to the test and proved that even a turning track is no hindrance for a real pace attack. Also, below are recorded the ten fastest ever spin deliveries as of 2025.
- Shahid Afridi -134 kph.
Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi holds the record for the fastest ball thrown by a spinner. Known for his unpredictable play and aggressive approach, which took the game by storm when 2009, he got off the mark at ~134kmh against New Zealand spinner Tim Southee in a T20 game. What made the delivery historic was also his unique ability, that of the leg spinner, to spin the ball at breakneck speed.
- Anil Kumble -118 kph.
India’s classic leggie Anil Kumble did not live for the turn but rather for his control, bounce, and pace. In an ODI against England, he was recorded to have run up to 118 km/h. Kumble’s quick ones would at times get the batter out of the crease, which in turn proved that speed is also a feature that spinners may use.
- Kuldeep Yadav -118 kph.
Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wrist spinner from India, has at times been known to deliver at 117 km/h, which is unexpected out of that style of a spinner that he is. In the 2023 IPL, we saw him break the mould when he bowled a fast one to Andre Russell, which left the commentators and the fans in amazement.
- Kunal Pandya -112 km/h.
Krunal Pandya, known rather for his round out skills, did what no one expected: he spun a 112.5 km/h in an IPL game. Also, he is into that aggressive bowling, which sees him play with spinners and then out of the blue go in with that fiery delivery that skids in.
- Shadab Khan -111 km/h.
Pakistan’s spin star Shadab Khan is also a doer of the out of the ordinary in terms of spin. At an international level, he delivered to Joe Root a 111 km/h’er, which was a surprise. Shadab’s diet of doosras and faster balls has batters confused.
- Rashid Khan -100 kph.
Afghanistan’s very own superstar spinner, Rashid Khan, dubs himself a “spin fast bowler. He is built of that quick arm speed and compact action that puts his deliveries at about 100 km/h out there. Also, it is his skill in using that pace variation, which he is very masterful at, that he brings to the table in T20 cricket, which is a very different ball game where a tiny bit of speed can mean all the difference.
- Maheesh Theekshana -96 km/h.
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana has been known to bowl in a range of 90 to 96 km/h. Although it reported him hitting 152 km/h, somewhat what he did not perform as expected out of the gun, we are told by the experts that it was an error. That said, his fast arm speed, which is similar to the action in the game of carrom, makes him a part of the elite group of present-day spinners.
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman -95 kph.
Another Afghan talent, in the form of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is known to run in at very high speeds, which average out to nearly 95 km/h. What is also very confusing for the opposition is his off-spin, which comes with an element of the unexpected, which puts even the best batters off — thus we see that speed and spin are very much a part of his game.
- Nathan Lyon -93 kph.
Australia’s at times see Nathan Lyon step up his pace, which he does especially on flat surfaces. On those days, he can hit it out to 93 kmh, which balls, which instead of turning sharply often skid and see batters get out lbw.
- Moeen Ali -91 kmh.
England’s Moeen Ali adds to the list of players known for his quick and flatter deliveries, which he gets up to 91 kmh. Also, he is known for his varied and smart bowling, which makes him a key player in all formats.
Why Fast Spin Bowling Matters
These better pace variations by spin bowlers take batters by surprise, reduce their reaction time, and they often end up playing out of time. Quick Spin is a mix of the smart spin play and the element of speed, which also gives the bowler a mental edge.
Hobby and Fitness of Fast Spinners
Most of what we see is that these spinners have strong fitness regimens as a hobby. They do sprinting, strength training, and yoga, which in turn improves flexibility and arm speed. Also, some go into throwball and play tennis to perfect their wrist strength and reaction time. This health and fitness focus helps them to sustain pace and precision over the long run.
Conclusion
From the time of Shahid Afridi’s record-breaking 134 km/h delivery to the present of Rashid Khan’s lightning 100 km/h balls, which, though spin also goes very fast, we see that speed and spin do, in fact, go hand in hand. As tech improves and players continue to break barriers, the coming years may see even faster spin bowling, which in turn will change how the cricket world looks at spin completely.
