England cricket team bowler Mark Wood, well-known for his sheer pace and pinpoint accuracy, is one of the fastest bowlers going around in world cricket at the moment. 

Not only does Wood clock speeds of over 150 kmph consistently but he also troubles quality batters with his vicious bouncers. 

Mark Wood recently made his franchise debut for Team Lucknow in the Indian T20 League 2023 and returned with the figures of 5/14 against Delhi in his first match for the side. 

The English pacer was at his destructive best and rattled the stumps of Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh with speeds of around 147 kmph. 

He also bowled a 151.2 kmph bullet to dismiss Indian legend MS Dhoni during his spell of 3/49 against Team Chennai in Lucknow’s second Indian T20 League 2023 game.

However, those were not the fastest balls ever bowled by Mark Wood or seen in the Indian T20 League. Wood has registered 152 kmph plus deliveries multiple times in his career and here’s a closer look at some of those lightning-quick balls.

Mark Wood’s fastest ball in international cricket

Bowling the seventh over of the first innings in Multan during the second Test of England’s 2022 Tour, Mark Wood hit the 150 kmph mark with ease. His fifth ball to Asad Shafique touched 156.6 kmph which is Mark Wood’s fastest ball in international cricket. Shafique had no choice but to bend backward and let the ball wheeze past his helmet. Mark Wood picked 6/105 across the two innings in the match and helped England win by 26 runs.

Mark Wood’s T20 World Cup 2022 record 

Mark Wood was breathing fire at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. In one of England’s Super 12 games against New Zealand, Mark Wood bowled a 154.74kmph firebolt to Glenn Phillips in the final ball of the sixth over. 

Glenn Phillips wasn’t able to react quickly to the line of the ball and got an inside edge that rolled away to the boundary. Mark Wood’s 154.74 kmph delivery was the fastest ball of the tournament. In fact, six of the top 10 deliveries - all above 153 kmph - at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 belonged to Mark Wood. 

With an average speed of 149.02 kmph in his four-over spell against Afghanistan, Mark Wood also set a new record for the fastest spell in T20 cricket.

Mark Wood ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup 2019 record

The 2022 T20 World Cup wasn’t the first time Mark Wood topped the speed charts in a global tournament. Mark Wood bowled the fastest ball of the 2019 ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup in England with a 154 kmph delivery to Henry Nicholls in the final. Mark Wood picked up 1/49 in the final before England won the match in Super Over.

Photo credit: Alamy

The Indian cricket team will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on England in the first of the three-match ODI series starting on Tuesday, March 23 in Pune.

Team India once again showed how dominant a side they are at home as they clinched both the Test and the T20I series against a formidable English side as the action now shifts to the 50-over format.

I want to congratulate the Virat Kohli-led Indian side on winning the hard-fought T20I series and I’m also extremely delighted that my prediction of the hosts winning the series 3-2, came true.

The three-match ODI series between these two cricketing giants promises to be a cracker and here are four players that I think could deliver a Man of the Match performance in the first match of the series.

Virat Kohli

The Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli returned to form in the T20I series as he amassed 231 runs in five matches at a staggering average of 115.50 with three fifties to his name. The 32-year-old was rightly adjudged the Player of the Series and I expect him to continue his good form in the upcoming ODI series as well. His numbers in the 50-over format are just phenomenal, having scored more than 12,000 runs in 251 matches with 43 centuries and 60 fifties in his One-Day International (ODI) career.

Eoin Morgan

With England missing the services of their talisman Joe Root, there will be added pressure on limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan to lead the middle-order. Morgan had a T20I series to forget as he managed just 33 runs in five matches at an average of 11. However, just like Virat, it is just a matter of one game before Morgan returns to form. The 34-year-old southpaw has scored more than 7000 runs in his ODI career and I expect him to perform in the opening ODI in Pune on Tuesday. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The return of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the Indian team set-up has been one of the many positives for the hosts in the recently concluded T20I series. It was just fascinating to see how Bhuvi bowled in the T20 series-decider as he scalped two important wickets for just 15 runs, bowling 17 dot balls in a game where more than 400 runs were scored. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar will once again lead the Indian bowling line-up in the first ODI.

Mark Wood

England pacer Mark Wood was one of the standout bowlers in the recently concluded T20I series. The 31-year-old bowled at a great pace throughout the series, generating extra bounce as he troubled the vaunted Indian batting line-up. Wood ended up with 5 wickets in four T20s at an average of 25.80. With Jofra Archer missing the ODIs, Wood will play an important role if the visitors are to clinch the 50-over series.

The Indian cricket team managed to make a comeback in the five-match T20I series for the second time on Thursday when some quality bowling in the death overs by the hosts snatched a series win from under England’s nose. In the end, the hosts won by 8 runs to keep the series alive and it’s all to play for in the fifth and final T20I on Saturday, March 20.

The series-deciding T20I could see some unique personalities rise to the occasion in order to get the job done for their respective teams, and here are the four players that I think could deliver a Man of the Match performance in the final match of the series.

Suryakumar Yadav

What a fantastic beginning it was for Suryakumar Yadav in his international career. Starting off with a six, the Mumbai batsman had answers to everything that the England bowlers threw at him. Be it Adil Rashid’s googly or Mark Wood’s screamer, Surya was a sheer delight to watch. The 30-year-old showed no signs of nervousness whatsoever. On the contrary, he was such an elegant figure in the middle that one could have mistaken him with an experienced campaigner on the international stage. There’s absolutely no way India are going to drop him in the next game. I’m eagerly waiting to see him again on the field in the series decider.

Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur made some important contributions with the bat when India needed the most in the fourth T20I, scoring 10 runs off just four balls. The 29-year-old right-arm pacer had conceded 21 runs in his opening two overs, but he managed to change the entire complexion of the encounter within two deliveries of his third over, scalping important wickets of Ben Stokes and England captain Eoin Morgan while giving away just seven runs. It was good to see how Shardul was experimenting with the variations in such a critical situation. In the end, it was commendable how the Mumbai cricketer held his nerves as his knuckleballs did the trick while defending 23 runs in the final over.

Jonny Bairstow

England’s swashbuckling batter Jonny Bairstow looked in good touch in the fourth T20I before he gave his wicket away to India leg-spinner Rahul Chahar. Bairstow has been vicious at times in the series and that partnership with Ben Stokes in the recently concluded T20I was just another testament to his usual brilliance. It’s easy to criticise a player on an off day, but one certainly needs to appreciate Bairstow for his sheer versatility. Over the years, the 31-year-old has been used at several different positions, but he has managed to put runs on the board regardless. I’m rightfully expecting a scintillating performance from Bairstow in the final encounter. 

Mark Wood

England pacer Mark Wood was once again very impressive in the fourth T20I as troubled the famed Indian batting line-up on Thursday. However, Wood would be left disappointed with the fact that he didn’t pick any wickets of India’s top-order batsmen in the first six overs. The 31-year fast bowler conceded just six runs in his first two overs including a maiden over. While the Indian batsmen were smashing the England bowlers left, right and centre, Mark Wood picked a wicket and kept his economy under seven. It goes without saying that Wood has been England’s standout bowler in the series along with Jofra Archer, and I expect him to play an important role in the fifth and final T20I as well.

World Cup-winning fast bowler Mark Wood would opt for a place in England's Test side if a congested schedule means they have to field entirely separate squads this season following the global pandemic outbreak.

An expanded training group of up to 45 players is due to be named on Friday, with the 18 bowlers already invited back for individual sessions soon to be joined by batsmen and wicketkeepers.

Despite the pandemic delaying the start of their home season, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) still plans to stage a full international programme that includes three-Test series against West Indies and Pakistan as well as limited-overs internationals against Australia and Ireland.

The ECB previously said its "worst-case" scenario, with no cricket played, could mean a £380 million ($469 million) hole in its finances.

But with several months of the season wiped out, England may still need to field separate red and white-ball squads in order for players to have sufficient time for training and recovery.

Wood was a member of the England side that won last year's World Cup but the Durham quick would still rather play Test cricket.

The 30-year-old's career has been blighted by ankle injuries, meaning he has played just 15 Tests since a 2015 debut against New Zealand at Lord's.

But the last of those, against South Africa at Johannesburg in January saw him return Test-best match figures of nine for 100 and Wood is keen to carry on from where he left off at the Wanderers ground. 

"I love playing for England in any format, I'm passionate about playing for England, but with my last Test match where I did so well I'd love to try and keep my position," Wood told Sky's Cricket Show.

"Coming off a man-of-the-match performance I'd love to keep my spot and keep that momentum going," he added.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Christiaan Kotze

England fast bowler Mark Wood has said he is prepared to spend more than two months away from his family if that's what it takes to play this season's home international series amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report in The Guardian, the plan is for the squad to be kept in an 'isolation bubble' so as to reduce the risk of players contracting COVID-19, with daily temperature checks and swabs also part of the regime.

Plans are now being discussed for England to play six Tests, six ODIs and six T20s in just over two months from the start of July, with the centrepiece two three-Test series against the West Indies and Pakistan.

The start of the English cricket has been delayed until July 1 at the earliest by the pandemic, with the West Indies series already postponed from its original June dates. 

Trying to salvage lucrative men's internationals is the priority for the England and Wales Cricket Board, with chief executive Tom Harrison warning a complete wipeout of the 2020 season could cost the governing body £380 million ($469 million).

England players can be with their families between matches during a standard home season, but Wood said what was being proposed was not that different from a tour schedule.  

"I'd be willing to do it," he told reporters in a conference call on Thursday.

"Being away on tour for long periods of time, you sort of get used to it. 

"It would be very hard but as long as the environment is safe, my family are safe and everybody else there is safe then I'd be willing to do it," added Wood, currently in lockdown with his wife and baby son.

Some 30 players could be chosen for a run of six Tests behind closed doors staged at the Ageas Bowl, the headquarters of southern county Hampshire, and Manchester's Old Trafford.

Read | Jos Buttler hopes enforced virus break prolongs cricket career

Both venues are considered to have greater 'bio-security' than other Test match grounds thanks to the presence of on-site hotels.

'Desperate'

Meanwhile Wood said he and his team-mates were 'desperate' to get going again.

"I think everybody in the squad, as long as the conditions are right, would be willing to come back and play some cricket."

"We're desperate to get going. I know it would be a long stint and it would be hard but it would be good to get back out there at the same time."

Wood has played just 15 Tests in five years since a 2015 debut, with his career blighted by injuries, including ankle and side problems.

But he insisted the proposed new schedule, which could feature six Tests in seven weeks, would not put him at a greater risk of breaking down and that he had no expectation of appearing in all the matches even if they had been played as scheduled. 

Read | Jofra Archer recalls 'dark times' during teen injury

"I wouldn't have played every game, I'd be in and out of the side to manage my workload and manage my body," he said. 

"I think that will probably be the same for all the fast bowlers, as long as we've got a good pool which I think we have at the moment. Coming in and out of the side shouldn't be a problem."

But Wood said it would feel strange being unable to go home if he wasn't in the Test side. 

"We've never been in these circumstances before where we don't know what's going to happen on the down days - I guess you can't just go home, so maybe you'll have to train in small groups," he said. 

"It will be interesting to see how it does work."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Christiaan Kotze

England fast bowler Mark Wood will play no part in the ongoing Ashes series after suffering a left knee injury while helping his country win the World Cup last month.

The Durham pacer helped tournament hosts England win the World Cup for the first time, taking 18 wickets at an average of 25.72.

Wood was not included in England's team for the first Test at Edgbaston currently in progress and was already set to miss the Ashes matches at Lord's and Headingley because of a left side strain he sustained during a World Cup final win over New Zealand.

England announced on Friday that Wood had been struggling with a knee problem as well as a longstanding ankle injury.

"England fast bowler Mark Wood has had left knee surgery to address an injury sustained during the ICC Cricket World Cup," said a team statement.

"The Durham player will continue rehabilitation for this and the left side strain that he sustained in the World Cup final.

"As a result of these injuries, he will be unavailable for any cricket for the remainder of the season."

Wood's last Test appearance saw the 29-year-old bowl well during a consolation win over the West Indies earlier this year.

Feature image: AFP/ Paul Ellis

England paceman Mark Wood has set his sights on recovering from injury in time to play a role in the Ashes against Australia. Wood will be out for up to six weeks after suffering a side strain during last Sunday's historic World Cup final victory over New Zealand.

The 29-year-old won't play in next week's one-off Test against Ireland at Lord's or the first Test against Australia when the Ashes get underway at Edgbaston on August 1. But Durham star Wood still hopes he can get back to full fitness in time for the last two Tests in the five-match series.

"I might make the last couple (of Tests). It all depends on selection," Wood told BBC 5 Live's Sportsweek on Sunday. "Hopefully the injury will have healed by then and I'll be back with the speed and will have played a few games for Durham.

"My side injury is four to six weeks, so hopefully I'll still play a part towards the end of the season, but if not it's been a fantastic summer so far for English cricket.

"There's still plenty more to go and hopefully for me, there's still a bit more cricket to play."

Wood played a key role throughout the World Cup but was clearly in pain as he strived to maintain his bowling speed during his 10 overs in the final against New Zealand.

Read: Jason Roy given first England Test call, Wood sidelined

He said he was still pinching himself after England's heroics at Lord's.

"To be honest, it's so hard to believe," he added. "You'd think by now it would have sunk in but to be world champions, it still gives me goosebumps listening back to it and watching it.

"I'm still feeling on top of the world. I know I might have an injury, but I didn't look past the World Cup initially. I know the Ashes is round the corner but I'm over the moon that I've got the dream of the World Cup."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

England have given Jason Roy his first Test call-up to face Ireland after the Surrey opener played a key role in his country's historic World Cup triumph, but pace bowler Mark Wood will be sidelined for between four and six weeks.

Roy was a crucial part of England's first World Cup-winning campaign, with his return after missing three matches with a torn hamstring coinciding with the winning streak that carried them to the title.

South Africa-born Roy scored 443 runs in the World Cup, but England's selectors were keen to get him red-ball practice ahead of the Ashes series against old rivals Australia, which starts on August 1 at Edgbaston.

However, Durham's Wood, who has a side strain, and Sussex paceman Jofra Archer, suffering from the same injury, were not selected for the Ireland clash.

Wood is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks following the injury he sustained in Sunday's final, leaving him certain to miss the start of the five-Test Ashes.

Roy's aggressive approach set the tone for England's World Cup run, which culminated in Sunday's thrilling final victory over New Zealand.

With England meeting Ireland at Lord's in a Test match next week -- scheduled for four days instead of the standard five -- Roy will be handed the chance to underline his ability to thrive in the longer form of the sport as well as in limited overs.

- Fine form -

It will be the 28-year-old's first first-class match since last November when he batted at number three for the England Lions against Pakistan A in Abu Dhabi, making 59 off 73 balls.

England chairman of selectors Ed Smith confirmed Roy would make his debut against Ireland, telling Sky Sports: "We have total confidence he will be able to adapt to red ball cricket."

On James Anderson's chances of being involved against Ireland as he returns from a calf tear, Smith added: "It's not clear. He's making good progress and, if he's fit to play without risk against Ireland, that's a possibility."

After Eoin Morgan captained England's World Cup team, it is Joe Root who resumed his role as Test skipper against Ireland.

Root's squad includes Somerset bowling all-rounder Lewis Gregory, who earned his first call-up after impressing for Somerset and the England Lions.

The 27-year-old has been in fine form this campaign taking 44 wickets at an average of 13.88.

He is currently captaining the England Lions against Australia XI in a tour match at Canterbury.

Warwickshire seamer Olly Stone, who made his England's one-day international debut last winter in Sri Lanka, earns his second call up to the Test squad.

Stone, 25, has fully recovered from a back injury, which had kept him out for most of this season.

Lancashire wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler and Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes -- man of the match in the World Cup final -- were both rested after their exploits in the 50-over tournament.

Archer, who has yet to make his England debut in Test cricket, will have a period of rest before being considered for selection for the Ashes.

He will have a short break in Barbados before returning to the UK later this month.

After playing a pivotal role in the World Cup triumph, Archer has been awarded an increment contract by the ECB for the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, a squad of 16 players will attend a pre-Ashes training camp this weekend at St George's Park, the Football Association's national football centre in Burton.

That group includes World Cup winners Roy, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Wood, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali.

England squad to face Ireland in Test match at Lord's, starting on July 24:

Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar

England fast bowler Mark Wood hopes his World Cup luck holds after his fortunate run out of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson helped take the hosts into the semi-finals.

England thrashed the Black Caps by 119 runs at Durham quick Wood's home ground of Chester-le-Street after posting 305-8 batting first.

Jonny Bairstow was named man-of-the-match for his second successive hundred, but Wood also played his part, taking 3-34 and delivering a significant contribution that was something of a fluke.

When Ross Taylor struck a drive down the ground, Wood just managed to get fingertips to the ball and divert it onto the non-striker's stumps, leaving star batsman Williamson -- who had been averaging 113.50 for the tournament prior to this match -- run out for 27.

"He doesn't know how unlucky he is because I've got the smallest hands for a bloke you've ever seen," said a grinning Wood.

"I managed to just get a fingertip to it. The umpire wasn't sure if I'd tipped it, and I said 'I swear to God I did'. I knew it had flicked the end of my finger.

"He was one of the best players I've ever bowled at so to get him out any way you can is pretty important. It saved me bowling at him any more so I was pretty pleased.

"In big games, in big moments, you need those moments. I'm just pleased that in such a big game I managed to be so lucky."

Meanwhile Williamson, asked about his freakish dismissal, said: "Is it luck or lack of it? It is one of those things.

"The English bowlers put us under pressure and I don't know whether that run-out came from that, but you move on."

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Paul Ellis

Jonny Bairstow’s second successive hundred laid the foundation for England's 119-run thrashing of New Zealand that saw the tournament hosts secure their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Wednesday.

It is the first time England have reached this stage since 1992, when they made the last of their three losing appearances in the final.

England, yet to win the World Cup, were set for a huge score at 194-1 off 30 overs before managing just 111 in the last 20 against a New Zealand attack missing injured fast bowler Lockie Ferguson.

But, with Bairstow making 106, a total of 305-8 proved more than enough at Chester-le-Street.

New Zealand could only manage 186 in reply as they suffered a third successive defeat of the tournament following losses to Pakistan and champions Australia �?the team that beat them in the 2015 final.

One consolation for the Black Caps is that they should still join Australia, India and England in the last four as it will take a colossal change in net run-rate for Pakistan to overtake them even if Sarfaraz Ahmed's side beat Bangladesh at Lord's on Friday.

"I am really pleased," said man-of-the-match Bairstow. "We knew these two games were must-win to give ourselves the best opportunity of reaching the semi-final.

"We knew the performances in the last couple of games weren't up to scratch. To play the way we have and hopefully keep it going into the semis is pleasing."

England are now guaranteed to finish third in the standings and so will play in the second semi-final at Edgbaston on July 11.

As things stand, they are in line to face India, currently second, but it is still possible for Virat Kohli's men to leapfrog Australia at the top of the standings.

If England do play India it will be a repeat of Sunday's match at the Birmingham ground when, following back-to-back defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia, they inflicted a first reverse upon Kohli's side.

The opening semi-final between the first and fourth-placed sides is scheduled for Old Trafford next Tuesday.

New Zealand, who would have reached the semi-finals had they won this match, saw their chase start badly when Henry Nicholls was lbw for a golden duck to Chris Woakes and decided against a review that would have reprieved him.

Martin Guptill, the leading run-scorer at the 2015 World Cup, then fell cheaply but worse followed for New Zealand when senior batsmen Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor were dismissed by contrasting run outs.

Black Caps skipper Williamson, who came into this match with a tournament average of 113.50, fell for 27 in unlucky fashion when fast bowler Mark Wood got his fingertips to a Taylor drive and deflected the ball onto the non-striker's stumps with Williamson out of his ground.

Taylor was far more responsible for his own exit when, deciding to go for a risky second run on 28, he failed to beat Adil Rashid's throw from fine leg to Buttler.

After a brief stoppage when a streaker ran onto the field, the Black Caps lost Tom Latham, caught behind for 57, to leave them all but beaten at 164-7.

Earlier, Bairstow and Jason Roy (60) got England off to a flyer with an opening partnership of 123 -- their third century stand in a row.

Bairstow reached his ninth one-day international hundred off 95 balls, including 14 fours and a six.

Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Paul Ellis