Shoaib Akhtar The 100MPH Thunderbolt

Shoaib Akhtar The 100mph Thunderbolt

He had done it unofficially in New Zealand the year before, but when Shoaib Akhtar hurled one at 100.23mph at England’s Nick Knight during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, it was as official as it could get and the legend of 'Da Fastest Bowler' was born!

GREATEST CWC MOMENT - 100 DAYS TO GO

Background

The 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, among other things, was also a fight between Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee for the title of World’s Fastest Bowler. Lee, had said that he would rather pick up wickets than try to hit 100mph, and to many, Akhtar put it beyond doubt anyway when he delivered a 100.04 thunderbolt while on tour in New Zealand. But that wasn’t accepted as official, as one of the guns in use had broken down. As far as Akhtar was concerned, he wanted to do it on the biggest stage, and put the matter beyond doubt – once and for all.

The Moment

Shoaib Akhtar began his second over like many other of his opening spells in World Cups, bowling at raw pace. However, in the Pool A match against England on February 22, 2003 in Cape Town, something very special was about to happen. Akhtar, who always bowls at express pace, was really ticking and as the over progressed it seemed as though every ball got faster. His second ball was clocked at 98.4mph, his fifth at 99.1mph and with this express pace was also great control as England's Nick Knight played out five dot balls.

And so came the last ball of Shoaib Akhtar’s over, the fourth of the England innings. Knight was still on strike when Akhtar delivered another brutishly quick delivery, the left-hander was clearly hurried for pace but managed to drop it into the leg side for no run, the end of the over came a maiden for Akhtar and it appeared as though that was simply that.

“It’s a sharp intake of breath from me! And I’m not stood 22 yards away from him!” 
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd on commentary after the record is broken

But as Knight walked towards Marcus Trescothick, his partner, a cheer rose from the crowd – on the giant screen flashed 161.3 k/ph or over 100.2 miles per hour and history was made.

There wasn’t a huge response from the players – Knight turned around to check what the cheer was about, and Akhtar went off towards the boundary, having finished his over. Then as he saw the big-screen and the World Cup Record was broken and cheers rang around the ground, Shoaib Akhtar celebrated like he had taken a wicket and flashed a victory sign in the general direction of the dressing room as he walked.

Was it to signal his achievement or to indicate that it was the second time he had done it? Either way he knew that he had won the war of who was the fastest and his legend in Cricket World Cup history was assured.

I wanted to do it and I said that before the match to the coach and the manager I wanted to do it in the second over. When I get my arm back there I gain more power. It's a different action and then I just bowl quicker in the air. When I'd done 158kph then I said, this is the time, I just cross the barrier and finish it for the rest of my life.

Shoaib Akhtar on the 100mph record

What happened next 

That Akhtar delivery became nothing more than a footnote as England put up 246 and bowled Pakistan out for 134 to win what was a crucial group match in the tournament. Knight scored 15 before Waqar Younis had his number and Akhtar returned figures of 1 for 63 from nine overs, his only wicket that of Michael Vaughan.

Interestingly, neither team went on to make the Super Six stage and Lee, though he ended up slower than Akhtar, got his hands on the World Cup trophy when Australia beat India by 125 runs in the final on March 23 in Johannesburg.