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'India don't have a pace bowler. Bumrah is quick but…': England legend says Umran Malik should 'undoubtedly' play T20 WC
With 15 wickets so far in the ongoing IPL season, Umran is on par with his Hyderabad teammate and left-arm pacer T Natarajan, and three away from table-topper Yuzvendra Chahal.
Umran Malik on Wednesday scythed through Gujarat Titans' batting attack to return figures of 5/25 and become the first player on a losing team this season to be awarded the player-of-the-match award. The 22-year-old quick combined his raw pace with precision to rattle the likes of Hardik Pandya and David Miller, bowling deliveries that touched the 150kph mark with absolute ease. (Follow IPL 2022 Coverage)
Though the tearaway quick's bowling show went for a losing cause, Umran's fiery spell made headlines, with pundits and fans calling for his inclusion in India's squad for this year's T20 World Cup. The Sunrisers Hyderabad find has picked up 15 wickets in eight matches at a 15.93 average, and on Wednesday, he achieved the milestone of plucking all the first five wickets of an innings in IPL history.
Umran earned plaudits from around the world and former England tweaker Graeme Swann also heaped massive praise on the speedster. Swann said he was to pick India's squad for the T20 showpiece event in Australia, Umran will 'undoubtedly' be a part of the unit.
"Without a doubt, I will take Umran to Australia. Without a doubt! India have everything but they don't have a pace bowler. Bumrah is quick but he isn't express like Umran. Get him involved as soon as possible. He is easily good for international cricket," Swann told cricket.com.
With 15 wickets so far in the ongoing IPL season, Umran is on par with his Hyderabad team-mate and left-arm pacer T Natarajan and just three behind Rajasthan Royals' leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. India currently have got a wide talent pool to choose from but Swann believes the national team lacks a genuine pacer in its ranks.
"Umran has been quick. At the start of the IPL, he was quick but going for a few runs. When I heard Dale Steyn say 'I have asked him to bowl first, that is his weapon', I felt like cheering. That was amazing.
"He (Umran) is that quick, he is not wild. He is very straight but he is so quick that he can get away with it. The first delivery was absolute fire, Hardik was stunned. He then bowled a rapid short delivery and got Hardik out. The quicker he bowled, he was just amazing," Swann further added.
Fast bowlers have the tendency to get injured often but Swann believes four overs in T20 cricket won't take a toll on Umran's body.
"No, injuries won't hurt him. Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, Jofra Archer, as a fast bowler, of course, you break down but Umran bowls only in T20s. It is four overs of maximum effort, I think it is the ideal number of overs for the pacer, just bowl fast and don't think. Don't break him in other formats, just play him in T20s," said the Englishman.
