Umran Malik has proved time and again that he is no ordinary cricketer. The Jammu lad had made bowling 150+ kph a new normal in the battery of Indian pacers who usually prefer swing over pace.
Malik however is making bigger and louder statements with his match winning performances and rib-cage bowling in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
The speedster has impressed everyone with the tearing pace and skills as a depth bowler. His terrific spell of 4/28 against Punjab Kings on Sunday was just another feather in his cap.
Malik thus became the third ever bowler in IPL history to bowl the final over of an innings without conceding a single run. He also took three wickets in it to bowl out PBKS on 151.
So what makes this Jammu boy so dangerous and how is he able to withstand the extreme heat while continuously bowling at 145+ pace with great accuracy?
Well! the answer might be in his hometown. Yes, unlike Kashmir cricketers who don’t have enough experience playing in the hotter conditions, Umran has been born and brought up in Jammu where temperatures do go beyond 40 degrees.
Recently, during the mid-innings break, a happy Umran said he loves bowling in such hot conditions as he is used to it. “In Jammu, it usually gets to 47-48 degrees, so it doesn’t matter. I enjoy it,” he said.
When asked what changes he has made to his bowling, the 22-year-old said. “I think I have started working on line and length more. It try to keep it full and as straight as possible.”
