Indian cricket fans have a perpetual ‘need for speed’. They want a fast bowler to touch speeds of 150 and above. After all, there’s nothing sexier in cricket than a fast bowler making batters dance to his tunes. After Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav provided enjoyment for brief moments, we’ve got another speed demon in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Gujarat Titans (GT) fast bowler has unearthed Ashok Sharma, a native of Rajasthan. Despite spending time with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), it was Gujarat who handed Ashok his IPL debut. And he hasn’t disappointed.
After a lukewarm performance against the Punjab Kings, Ashok has rocked up to the Narendra Modi Stadium and registered himself as one of the fastest bowlers in the world. The 23-year-old had bowled over 145 against Punjab with ease, but against RR, he was on another level.
Ashok Sharma clocks 154.2 in GT vs RR match
He started his spell by clocking 149. But he was far from done. The speed just kept on increasing. A modern T20 bowler, Ashok also mixed things up, throwing in a slower ball once in a while. But it was his third over (16th in the first innings), where Ashok pleasantly shocked everyone.
He clocked a 150.7 delivery. The second fastest of IPL 2026, just behind Anrich Nortje. But, on the last ball of that over, Ashok bowled a searing yorker to Dhruv Jurel. The speedometer shocked everyone. It read 154.2. Making it the 10th fastest ball bowled in the IPL and making him the third Indian fast bowler after Mayank and Umran to reach these speeds.
Ashok didn’t touch the same speed in his last over. He went for a six on the first ball and chose to bowl slower balls instead of going fast for the remainder of his spell. It worked just fine. In the end, Ashok gave away just 37 runs. Apart from being the fastest GT bowler, he ended up being the most economical as well. And the cherry on the top was the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer.
Fastest balls in the IPL
| No. | Bowler | Ball Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaun Tait | 157.7 |
| 2 | Lockie Ferguson | 157.3 |
| 3 | Umran Malik | 157 |
| 4 | Mayank Yadav | 156.7 |
| 5 | Mayank Yadav | 155.8 |
| 6 | Anrich Nortje | 156.2 |
| 7 | Anrich Nortje | 154.8 |
| 8 | Dale Steyn | 154.4 |
| 9 | Kagiso Rabada | 154.2 |
| 10 | Ashok Sharma | 154.2 |
Cricket
Ashok Sharma bowls fastest ball of IPL 2026, shows shades of Umran Malik & Mayank Yadav
