Team India started the new year on an emphatic note as they secured a 2-1 win over Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series. It was an all-round performance by the young squad led by Hardik Pandya. If we look back at some of the many positives, it will be Shivam Mavi's sensational India debut, Axar Patel perfectly filling in the shoes of Ravindra Jadeja, and Suryakumar Yadav's dominance with the bat.
Mavi had scalped four wickets in his maiden India outing and had emerged as a key player in the series opener, which India secured by two runs. Axar, on the other hand, was named player of the series for his all-round show, which included his batting, bowling and fielding.
Suryakumar Yadav slammed a half-century in the second encounter, which India lost by 16 runs. He then put on an even better display in the third and final T20I as he slammed a ton, which was third in T20Is.
Apart from the three names, another player who had a terrific outing was India's latest pace sensation Umran Malik. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer finished as the leading wicket-taker in the T20Is, as he scalped seven wickets from the 11 overs he bowled during the series.
{{/usCountry}}Apart from the three names, another player who had a terrific outing was India's latest pace sensation Umran Malik. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer finished as the leading wicket-taker in the T20Is, as he scalped seven wickets from the 11 overs he bowled during the series.
{{/usCountry}}Not just that but he also clocked 155kph on the speed gun during the second T20I, which is the highest speed an Indian pacer has touched till date.
Malik's phenomenal display saw him draw praises from almost every corner and former India batter Ajay Jadeja too was highly impressed by the youngster. Heaping praise on Malik, the ex-cricketer compared the pacer with India legend Javagal Srinath.
“The way he is bowling at the moment, running in, there isn’t a bowler in India that I have seen for a very long time. Srinath was the last one that I remember.
“This fellow has something special, so try and use him as he is. When the tail comes, you bring Umran Malik. 8/10 times he’ll get you three wickets there and finish the game,” he said during an interaction on Cricbuzz.