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Once touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, Jammu & Kashmir pacer Umran Malik has fallen out of favour with selectors. Malik has had his trouble with injuries and he has not been as menacing as he used to when he first burst into the scene for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, he went unsold at first. Later, he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for his base price of Rs 75 lakh in accelerated part of the auction. Now, the 25-year-old is ready to give his 200 percent for the defending champions.
“I am really happy to join KKR this season, so excited to don the KKR jersey. I just can’t wait. They are the defending champions, and I am sure they will win another title this season. I am grateful and thankful to them for giving me this chance, confident about getting plenty of opportunities this time with KKR. I am 200 percent fit and raring to go. You will see a different Umran Malik this time. I want to perform well in the IPL and make a comeback to the Indian side. The IPL has been a massive platform for most cricketers, including me,” Umran told the Times of India.
In the previous season, Malik got to play just one game for SRH. He is not sure whether he will be breaking the record for the fastest ball in IPL history but clock over 150kmph regularly.
“I am going to kill it in IPL 2025. I am confident of taking a number of wickets this time and just want to go out and perform for KKR. Speed gives me a thrill. I am not sure whether I will touch 160, but I am confident I will take plenty of wickets at speeds in the 150s,” he added.
Malik's T20 numbers
With Mayank Yadav making a mark on his T20I debut with raw pace, Malik has a point to prove. His last appearance on the international stage was in July 2023. From 10 ODIs and eight T20Is, he has 13 and 11 wickets respectively.
In IPL, he has taken 29 wickets from 26 games at an average of 26.62 including a fifer. His economy rate is on the higher side at 9.39 runs per over.
