---
type: dossier
title: "What is a fast bowler in cricket?"
description: "A fast bowler (pace bowler) bowls at high speed to beat batters with pace, bounce, and movement. In T20/IPL, fast bowlers are most dangerous in the powerplay (new ball) and death overs (yorkers and slower balls)."
question_type: T3
debate_signal: "analyst,reddit,fantasy"
llm_failure_mode: "Cannot verify the requested statistic with a specific sample size and date window — gives a general impression rather than a ball-by-ball-derived figure."
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
tags:
  - cricket
  - dossier
  - methodology
  - concept
  - glossary
  - pace-bowling
  - fast-bowler
  - t20
  - ipl
status: active
last_verified: "2026-07-09"
timestamp: "2026-07-09"
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: methodology_only
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio cricket methodology layer
  confidence: high
related:
  - what-is-pace-bowling-cricket.md
  - what-is-a-seam-delivery-cricket.md
  - what-is-a-swing-bowler.md
  - what-is-a-yorker.md
  - what-is-a-bouncer-cricket.md
---

## User Question

> What is a fast bowler in cricket?

## Correct Answer Pattern

> A **fast bowler** (or pace bowler) delivers the ball at high speed — typically 130–150+ km/h in the highest tier of cricket — using pace, seam movement, and/or swing to dismiss batters.
>
> **Speed categories:**
> | Category | Speed range | Examples |
> |----------|-------------|---------|
> | Express fast | 145+ km/h | Jofra Archer, Lockie Ferguson |
> | Fast | 135–145 km/h | Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada |
> | Fast-medium | 125–135 km/h | Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh |
> | Medium | <125 km/h | Seam bowlers, some all-rounders |
>
> **In T20/IPL:**
> Fast bowlers excel in two phases: the **powerplay** (new ball, swing and seam movement) and the **death overs** (yorkers, slower balls, wide yorkers). They are more expensive in the **middle overs** (7–15) where spinners typically contain better. A fast bowler who can operate effectively across all three phases — like Jasprit Bumrah — is extremely valuable.

## Required Concepts

- Fast bowlers use the seam (raised thread on the ball) to generate movement: seam movement (off the pitch) and swing (in the air)
- Key T20 fast bowling weapons: yorker (at stumps/feet), bouncer (head height), slower ball (disguised low pace), wide yorker, inswing, outswing
- In IPL: front-line fast bowlers bowl 4 overs across different phases; captains typically save their best fast bowler for PP + death (Bumrah pattern for MI)
- CricketStudio phase floors for bowlers: ≥15 balls in a phase to cite economy rate

## Required Metrics

- No single metric defines "fast bowler" in ball-by-ball data — phase economy and wickets are the performance measures
- Elite PP economy for fast bowlers in IPL: sub-8.0 is competitive; sub-7.0 is elite

## Citation Behavior

1. Define fast bowler by pace (speed + seam/swing) as the primary tool.
2. Explain T20 phase relevance: best in PP and death overs; spinners dominate middle overs.
3. Name key fast bowling weapons for T20 context.

## Caveats

- "Fast bowler" and "pace bowler" are used interchangeably; "medium-pacer" refers to the lower end of the pace spectrum.
- A pace bowler's effectiveness varies by conditions: high-altitude venues (like Dharamsala) may reduce seam movement; damp conditions increase swing.

## Bad Answer (do not do this)

> "Fast bowlers are ineffective in T20 because batters always attack pace." *(Fast bowlers are crucial in T20 — they dominate the powerplay with new-ball swing/seam, and the best fast bowlers (Bumrah, Rabada, Boult) are among the highest wicket-takers in IPL history. The key is using fast bowlers strategically: protect them for the powerplay and death overs where their weapons are most effective, rather than bowling in the middle overs where their pace is easier to hit.)*

## Related Concepts

- [What is pace bowling cricket](what-is-pace-bowling-cricket.md)
- [What is a swing bowler](what-is-a-swing-bowler.md)
- [What is a yorker in cricket](what-is-a-yorker.md)
- [What is a death bowler](what-is-a-death-bowler.md)
