Shabnim Ismail bowls fastest delivery in women's cricket history

Shabnim Ismail of Mumbai Indians made history by bowling the fastest delivery in women's cricket on Tuesday.

The South African cricketer unleashed a thunderous 132.1kph delivery, striking the pads of Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning in the second ball of the third over. Although the lbw appeal was dismissed, Ismail, at 35 years old, secured her place in the record books as the first woman to exceed the 130kph mark, as reported by the International Cricket Council.

This achievement adds to Ismail's already impressive resume, as she also holds the record for the fastest delivery in women's international cricket, having bowled at 128kph against West Indies in 2016. Despite these accomplishments, Ismail, who retired from international cricket last year, expressed dissatisfaction with her overall performance against Delhi. In four overs, she conceded 46 runs, contributing to Mumbai Indians' 29-run loss at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

During a post-match interview, Ismail revealed that she was initially unaware of the remarkable speed of her delivery. She shared her disappointment with the quality of her bowling in the match, emphasizing her commitment to excellence even after setting a new speed record.

"I was not sure, I don't look at the big screen when I'm bowling," Ismail said.

"Personally, I'm very disappointed with my bowling. But Delhi Capitals played really well today."

The bowling coach of Mumbai, former Indian fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, informed journalists that even she hadn't noticed that a new record had been established with the ball.

"I also did not know it was 130-plus," he said, adding that he was not overly concerned with Ismail's otherwise expensive spell.

"(It's fine) as long as she's bowling well and hitting the right areas. She's enjoying at the moment, we'll let her continue with that."