Shabnim Ismail bowls the fastest delivery in women's cricket

NEW DELHI: Former South African pace bowler

Shabnim Ismail

etched her name in the annals of cricket history on Tuesday by bowling the

fastest delivery

ever recorded in

women's cricket

.
Ismail achieved this milestone during a

Women's Premier League

(WPL) match in India, representing the Mumbai Indians against the Delhi Capitals at the

Arun Jaitley Stadium

.
In a remarkable display of speed and skill, Ismail's right-arm thunderbolt breached the 130km/h barrier, clocking an astounding speed of 132.1km/h (82.08mph).

The delivery, which rattled the stumps of former Australia captain

Meg Lanning

, marked the first time a delivery in women's cricket had exceeded the 130km/h mark.

Ismail, renowned as the fastest bowler in the women's game, had previously recorded speeds of 128km/h (79.54mph) against the West Indies in 2016 and 127km/h twice during the

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup

in 2022.
Despite retiring from international cricket following last year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Ismail's fiery pace continues to captivate cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
With a distinguished international career spanning 16 years, Ismail represented South Africa in 127 ODIs, 113 T20Is, and a solitary Test match. Amassing a total of 317 international wickets, including 191 scalps in ODIs and 123 in T20Is, Ismail's bowling prowess has left an indelible mark on the sport.

When questioned about her record-breaking feat in a post-match interview, Ismail humbly downplayed her achievement, stating, "I do not actually look at the big screen when I am bowling."
Despite Ismail's remarkable performance, her efforts were overshadowed by Mumbai Indians' defeat to the Delhi Capitals by 29 runs. Chasing a target of 193, Mumbai Indians struggled to keep pace, ultimately finishing their innings at 163/8.
With this win, Delhi Capitals ascended to the top of the points table with four wins in five games, accumulating eight points. Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, occupy the third position with three wins in five games, totaling six points.
(With inputs from ANI)