22-year-old SunRisers Hyderabad pacer Umran Malik has impressed everyone with his ability to dish out fast deliveries, consistently getting into the 145-150 km/h range. He has left such an impression that several Indian greats have already said that Umran will play for Team India. In the ongoing IPL 2022 season, Malik has amassed 9 wickets in 6 matches. In an interaction with DailyExpertNews, Umran opened up about his dream of playing for Team India and how fast bowling comes naturally to him.
“Speed is natural to me. This year I’m trying to work on hitting the right areas. I used to bowl fast. I’m my own role model. When Irfan Pathan came to train us, I jumped out and I was quite erratic, I couldn’t bowl in one area constantly. But when he came, I started jumping less and started to get the rhythm right. I just want to make Jammu and Kashmir proud and I want to make the country proud I just want to perform well.” Umran Malik told DailyExpertNews.
“I have to perform, when I see cricketers tweeting about me it was a very proud feeling. It’s good to see such great legends tweeting about me, they must have seen something in me, that’s why they are tweeting about me. Right now Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the best bowlers in the world,” he added.
When asked about his family’s support towards him after his passion for cricket, Umran said: “My parents never stopped me from playing cricket. My parents always supported me. I played until 2am while I was playing in COSCO tournaments, but my family never said anything to discourage me. My parents believed in me completely. My sisters also supported me a lot.”
Umran Malik’s delivery to rattle the stumps of Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Shreyas Iyer was much discussed within the cricket fraternity. SRH fast-bowling coach Dale Steyn also jumped in delight into the dugout to celebrate the wicket alongside Muttiah Muralitharan.
When asked about his mentality as he delivered that perfect yorker, the SRH pacer said: “I saw Shreyas Iyer trying to clear space and get a loft shot. I had two players in the back. It’s normal when I a yorker bowled , or it would have been a punt ball or i would have conceded a single he made a little extra space i was about to bowl a normal delivery but i saw the room he made so i bowled a Yorker. Then he was rejected and the plan was successful.”
“It’s such a good feeling to work with such a great legend (Dale Steyn). He’s been a great player and working with him has given me a lot of motivation and I’m learning a lot,” he added.
In the final match against Punjab Kings, Umran took four wickets and returned with the figures of 4-28. In the last over of the PBKS innings, Umran Malik single-handedly took three wickets and one was a run-out, so the over turned out to be a four-wicket maiden.
Speaking of Kane Williamson’s leadership, Umran said: “When I come I define my own field. He never says anything, even if I get a four or six he never says anything. This year I have two favorite wickets. One of them is Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) for hitting me 20 runs in my first over I bowled and the second is Shreyas Iyer.”
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“Every bowler wants to bowl in every situation. I’m bowling in the middle overs, someone has to bowl in the middle phase and I love that role. I’m ready to bowl when the team wants it,” he added .
SunRisers Hyderabad has eight points from six games and will face Royal Challengers Bangalore next Saturday.
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