Fact Check: Did Sri Lanka U19’s Matheesha Pathirana bowl a 175 kph delivery against India?

Sri-Lankan U19 Pacer Pathirana clocked a stunning 175 kph on the speed gun in #U19CWC match Against India on a Wide Ball.

On the right corner of the screen, the speed of the delivery showed at 108 mph. #INDvSL #INDU19vSLU19 #Cricket #CWCU19 pic.twitter.com/7uKD73zYn0

— Mahirat 🤹🏏 (@GOATKingKohli) January 20, 2020

But the question arises, just like it did among many cricket fanatics’ minds, did Pathirana really clock 175 kph on the speed gun or was it an error by it?

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t as it turns out there was a technical error in the recording by the speed gun. Therefore, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar still holds the record of bowling the fastest-ever ball in international cricket. In the 2003 World Cup, he had let one rip at 161.3kph (100mph) against England.

The top-three fastest recorded balls bowled in the history of international cricket are as follows —

161.3kph — Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan), ODI vs England in 2003 at Newlands.
161.1kph — Shaun Tait (Australia), ODI vs England in 2010 at Lord’s.
161.1kph — Brett Lee (Australia), ODI vs New Zealand in 2005 at Napier.

As for Pathirana, this is not the first time that the teenager has grabbed headlines — he once took 6 wickets for just 7 runs in a college match in September 2019. Playing for Trinity College, Kandy, Pathirana troubled the opposition batsmen with his barrage of yorkers with an action reminiscent of Lasith Malinga.

He could be the new Malinga – 17 year old Matheesha Pathirana who took 6 wickets for 7 runs on his debut game for Trinity College in Kandy, Sri Lanka #Cricket pic.twitter.com/FyNg0yCuoL

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) September 27, 2019

Bowling against India, Pathirana registered 0/49 after 8 overs with five wides. Sri Lanka U19 will next face New Zealand U19 in a Group A encounter of the ICC U19 World Cup on January 22.