Sports

Did Hasan Ali break Shoaib Akhtar’s fastest ball record?

DHAKA — Hasan Ali bowled tremendously during Pakistan’s first T20 international of their three-match series against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday, which the Men In Green won by four wickets.

It seems that even the technical team at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium were impressed. So much so that they ended up making an error while recording his bowling speed, reporting it as 219kph.

Pakistani pacing legend Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for bowling the fastest ball at 161.3 kph and it is next to impossible to bowl at a speed of 219kph.

Meanwhile, Ali did become the player to take the most number of international wickets in 2021 — including Tests, T20Is, and ODIs — as he reached the mark of 64 after he picked up 3-22, helping Pakistan restrict Bangladesh to 127-7.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is right behind him with 62 wickets, while Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera and South Africa’s Tabriz Shamsi have taken 50 wickets each.