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'He could be match-winner': Harbhajan hails uncapped India star as 'most deserving one' to be part of T20 World Cup team
PL 2022 does not just offer the fringe players a chance to make their case, it also provides opportunities for fresh faces to enter the competition
The 2022 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), if not entirely, will play a substantial role in making the minds of the BCCI selectors in naming the squad for the T20 World Cup slated to be held in October this year in Australia. IPL 2022 does not just offer the fringe players a chance to make their case, it also provides opportunities for fresh faces to enter the competition and former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has backed an uncapped player for the big tournament later this year.
Harbhajan has been left mighty impressed with Sunrisers Hyderabad star Umran Malik, who bowled a sensational last over against Punjab Kings on Sunday in Mumbai to bag the Player of the Match award.
He bowled a triple-wicket maiden in the final over of the first innings to restricted Punjab to just 151. He became only the third bowler after Lasith Malinga and Jaydev Unadkat to bowl a wicket maiden in the 20th over of a game and only the second after the Sri Lanka great to do so in the first innings of a game.
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Speaking to Star Sports after Punjab's innings, Harbhajan opined that Umran should get a the India jersey soon and is “most deserving one” to be part of the T20 World Cup team.
“This (Blue) is the only jersey missing and he should get it early. I feel he is the most deserving one who should be selected to play for India in that T20 World Cup in Australia. He could be you match winner there,” he said.
Umran, who made his IPL debut last season for SRH, has already picked nine wickets this season at a strike rate of 14.66.
The youngsters breakneck pace has been the talk of the town with South Africa legend Dale Steyn as the SRH bowling coach. Earlier last week, Umran had earned immense accolade after his clever set-up for Kolkata Knight Riders captain Shreyas Iyer with a perfect yorker.
