Anrich Nortje

South African fast bowler known for his express pace, regularly bowling over 150 km/h and forming a potent partnership with Kagiso Rabada in the national team.

Born on 16 November 1993 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Anrich Nortje emerged from the Eastern Cape cricket system to become one of the world's premier fast bowlers. He represented South Africa at various youth levels before making his first-class debut for Eastern Province in 2012. His distinctive slingy, low-armed bowling action and exceptional pace caught attention early in his domestic career, though injury setbacks initially hindered his progression through the ranks. Nortje's international breakthrough came in 2019 when he made his Test debut against India, quickly establishing himself as a formidable pace threat. His career accelerated rapidly as he formed a potent fast-bowling partnership with Kagiso Rabada, becoming South Africa's primary strike weapon across all formats. His ability to consistently bowl at speeds exceeding 150 km/h (93+ mph) made him one of the fastest bowlers in contemporary cricket. He became a sought-after player in franchise cricket, notably starring for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, where his express pace and accuracy proved highly effective on subcontinental pitches. The right-arm fast bowler's most significant achievements include surpassing 100 Test wickets relatively early in his career and establishing himself as South Africa's leading pace bowler. His unique bowling action, characterized by a low arm position and late release point, creates difficulties for batsmen in picking up the ball's trajectory. Nortje has consistently been among the fastest recorded bowlers in international cricket, with several deliveries clocked above 155 km/h. Despite periodic injury concerns that have affected his availability, Nortje represents the modern era of South African fast bowling excellence. His emergence helped maintain the Proteas' tradition of producing world-class pace bowlers, following in the footsteps of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. His combination of raw pace and improving accuracy has made him an integral component of South Africa's bowling attack across all three formats of international cricket.

Express pace bowler with ability to bowl consistently over 150 km/h, relies on raw pace and bounce

Nortje has established himself as one of the premier fast bowlers of his generation, representing the next wave of South African pace bowling talent.

• T20 World Cup Finalist 2024