Mitchell Starc’s “Fastest Ball” Controversy Creates Buzz, But Tech Glitch Revealed

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc found himself at the center of international cricket discussions on October 19, 2025, during the first ODI between India and Australia in Perth. The excitement began when Starc delivered a ball that, according to the speed gun, traveled at an astonishing 176.5 km/h (approximately 109 mph). This reading initially suggested that Starc had surpassed the long-standing record of 161.3 km/h set by Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar, which had stood as the fastest delivery in cricket history for decades.

News of this potentially record-breaking delivery spread like wildfire. Social media platforms and cricket discussion forums were flooded with reactions from fans and experts alike. Headlines across sports news portals speculated whether a new era of pace bowling had begun and whether Starc had rewritten cricketing history. Cricket enthusiasts marveled at the sheer speed and feared the challenge Indian batsmen might face against such blistering pace.

However, the initial excitement soon turned into clarification. Broadcasters and match officials later confirmed that the 176.5 km/h reading was the result of a technical glitch in the speed measurement system. In reality, Starc’s delivery had traveled at 140.8 km/h (about 87 mph), meaning Shoaib Akhtar’s record remained untouched. While the corrected figure was significantly lower than the erroneous one, Starc’s bowling still posed a serious challenge to the Indian batting lineup.

During the match, Starc bowled consistently at speeds around 140 km/h, with his fastest ball reaching 145 km/h. His ability to maintain pace and accuracy throughout his spell created pressure and uncertainty for the Indian batsmen, highlighting his skill, experience, and the difficulty of facing world-class pace bowling in challenging conditions. The delivery that caused the initial confusion became a talking point not just for its alleged speed but also for demonstrating the impact of technology on modern cricket.

Cricket fans and analysts have since debated the incident, emphasizing how technological glitches can sometimes mislead viewers and create false impressions of records being broken. Despite the error, Starc’s performance was widely appreciated for its quality and consistency. The incident serves as a reminder that while speed records are celebrated, the craft, precision, and strategy behind every delivery remain the true measure of a bowler’s excellence.

Mitchell Starc’s bowling spell in Perth will be remembered not for breaking a world record, but for reaffirming his reputation as one of the fastest and most skillful bowlers in the modern game, while also sparking an important conversation about the reliability of technology in sports.