Umran Malik became the cricketing sensation when sporting world watched him bowl like a rocket at the IPL season. The young paceman from Jammu & Kashmir made Umran ever since he made his IPL debut has grabbing headlines.
What got Umran Malik to the cricketing spotlight was his lightning spell in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders. Umran, who is a son of a vegetable vendor, bowled a 151.03 kmph delivery against KKR, which is, so far, the fastest by an Indian in the ongoing season. The speedster became an overnight sensation in the cricketing world.
Umran Malik – 5 things that will spell bound you
- During the SRH match against the Kolkata Knight Riders Umran Malik clocked 151.03 kmph speed of bowling. This has been the fastest delivery by an Indian during the season. Out of the 24 legitimate deliveries he bowled, 11 of them were above 145 kmph.
- Umran was inducted into the squad as a replacement for T Natarajan, who had tested positive for COVID-19 before the start of the season in the UAE.
- A Class 10 drop out, Umran was always keen on pursuing cricket professionally. It was his coach, Randhir Singh Manhas who first spotted his talent when he was all of 17 years of age.
- Umran would play at various local tournaments and on an average clocked a speed of over 145 kmph. He also got the opportunity to play in the U-19 Jammu and Kashmir team but did not get much time on the field.
- In 2019, just when he was getting the chance to train well, there was a curfew imposed in the city because of the abrogation of Article 370. This led to a ban on all training camps in the city, which was a huge roadblock for Umran. Prior to making a splash at the IPL, Umran featured in just one T20 and List A match for his state, in which he managed to knock-out four wickets.
Virat Khohli Praises Umran Malik
Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team and Royal Challengers Bangalore was quick to comment. He said, “This tournament throws up talent every year. Good to see a guy bowling at 150 clicks. It is important to understand the progress of individuals from hereon.”