NEW DELHI: India’s new speed gun Umran Malik has been breathing fire in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Bowling in the death overs is the most difficult task for a bowler and fast bowler Umran, who consistently bowls at 145- 150kmph plus, handles that arduous task, seemingly with ease.
In Sunday’s first match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, Umran bowled the last over of the Punjab innings.
The scoreboard at that time read 151-6, with big hitting Odean Smith and Rahul Chahar at the crease for Punjab. And incredibly, Umran did not give away a single run in the over and took three wickets. There was also a run out, which meant that overall four wickets fell in the 20th over and the Punjab innings folded up for 151. SRH eventually won the match by 3 wickets for their fourth win on the trot.
Please give him a blue jersey already. #UmranMalik https://t.co/Yc5myHCvWx— Syed (@aamirsspk) 1650197246000
#UmranMalik Outstanding Performance Jigar! This last over by #UmranMalik was Outstanding! Blue jersey coming Soon J… https://t.co/Gj7hxhaVNw— Nazaket Rather (@RatherNazaket) 1650199185000
The 22-year-old Umran, who hails from Srinagar, was unplayable in the last over and narrowly missed out on a hat-trick. He removed Odean Smith, Rahul Chahar and Vaibhav Arora, denying Punjab any chance of adding to their score.
In the process, Umran, who is India’s fastest bowler currently, became just the third bowler in the history of IPL to not concede a single run in the 20th over of an innings. Irfan Pathan (PBKS in 2008) and Jaydev Unadkat (RPS in 2017) are the other two bowlers who have achieved this incredible feat in the past (they did this in the 20th over of the second innings).
Sri Lanka pace legend Lasith Malinga (MI in 2009) conceded 1 bye and 4 leg byes (counted as extras) in the 20th over of a match in the 2009 edition.
Only three bowlers – Irfan Pathan (PBKS in 2008), Jaydev Unadkat (RPS in 2017) and now Umran Malik #SRH #IPL2022… https://t.co/yc4vUpd86A— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) 1650197197000
Interestingly, Umran’s three-wicket (four wickets fell in all – Umran took 3, the fourth was a run-out) maiden over was the 300th maiden overall in IPL history.
What an unbelievable spell full of raw pace #UmranMalik 🔥👏Take a bow young man 👍 By far probably the best ever ov… https://t.co/c6tMyHE4bF— KTR (@KTRTRS) 1650206619000
How the 20th over bowled by Umran unfolded:
19.1: Umran Malik to Odean Smith – no run
19.2: Umran Malik to Odean Smith. WICKET! Caught & Bowled! Short from Umran Malik. Smith tried to play across the line, got a thick top edge, Malik got underneath and took a simple catch. Odean Smith departed for 13 (15).
19.3: Umran Malik to Rahul Chahar – no run
19.4: Umran Malik to Rahul Chahar. WICKET! Castled! A full and quick delivery from Umran and the ball rattled Chahar’s off stump. Chahar departed for a duck.
19.5: Umran Malik to Vaibhav Arora. WICKET! Bowled! Arora failed to handle a fiery Umran. Arora exposed the off stump and paid the price. Arora departed for a duck. Umran on a hat-trick.
19.6: Umran Malik to Arshdeep Singh. WICKET! Umran missed out on a hat-trick. SRH claimed a hat-trick. Arshdeep Singh fell for a duck. He was run out by Suchith/Pooran.
Umran, who ended with figures 4-1-28-4 and was adjudged Man of the Match, later said: “Need some time (to realise what he had done).”
“In Jammu, it usually gets to 47 or 48 degrees, so it doesn’t matter (the heat), it’s actually nice to play in this heat. I think I have got my line and length better over the last few days, the plan was to keep it full and straight, and in that channel just outside off,” the speedster, who many feel should be fast-tracked into the Indian senior men’s team further said.
Umran Malik (Photo credit: BCCI/IPL/PTI)
Till before the second match of the day on Sunday, Umran also held the record for the fastest delivery bowled in this edition of the tournament.
Gujarat Titan’s Lockie Ferguson broke that record, for now, clocking 153.9 kmph against the Chennai Super Kings. With this fiery delivery, the New Zealander broke Umran’s record of the previous fastest delivery (153.3kmph) this season.
Lockie Ferguson (Photo credit: BCCI/IPL)
However, Umran still holds the record for the fastest-ever delivery bowled by an Indian in the history of the IPL (153.3 kmph vs GT in IPL 2022). The previous record also belonged to him (153kmph vs RCB in IPL 2021).
FASTEST DELIVERIES BOWLED IN THE IPL OVERALL SO FAR:
BOWLER TEAM SPEED Shaun Tait Rajasthan Royals 157.71 kmph Anrich Nortje Delhi Capitals 156.22 kmph Dale Steyn Deccan Chargers 154.40 kmph Kagiso Rabada Delhi Capitals 154.23 kmph Lockie Ferguson Kolkata Knight Riders 153.90 kmph
