During Rajasthan Royals’ convincing victory over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Wankhede Stadium, Gerald Coetzee quietly made headlines by delivering a thunderous 157.4 kph delivery to Riyan Parag, setting a new record for the fastest delivery of the season.
This happened in the third delivery of the 16th over, which Parag dispatched for a winning boundary in their chase of 126 runs. Coetzee surpassed Mayank Yadav’s previous record, achieved during Lucknow Super Giants’ debut match against Punjab Kings, where Mayank’s rapid bowling earned him three wickets and the player-of-the-match award. Despite Mayank’s impressive 155.8 kph delivery, Coetzee’s feat quickly overshadowed it the following day.
Coetzee’s delivery (157.4 kph) now stands as the second fastest in IPL history, just behind Shaun Tait’s 157.71 kph delivery in 2011. This places him ahead of Lockie Ferguson, who previously held the second spot with a 157.3 kph delivery. Umran Malik’s 157 kph delivery during IPL 2022 secures him the fourth spot and the title of the fastest Indian bowler on this list.
However, Coetzee’s record-breaking performance was bittersweet, as he ended up conceding 36 runs without taking any wickets in his 2.3 overs. Alongside Kwena Maphaka, he became one of the most expensive bowlers for Mumbai Indians in the match, as Rajasthan Royals comfortably secured a six-wicket victory, propelling them to the top of the IPL 2024 points table.
