Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) youngster Umran Malik was once again impressive for his side during their seven-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. The Jammu & Kashmir bowler picked up two wickets for his side and conceded just 27 runs as Hyderabad restricted their opponents to 176 runs.
One of the wickets that the bowler scalped was that of KKR captain Shreyas Iyer, who seemed in good touch before a pitch-perfect ball by Malik. It was a yorker that displaced the stumps and ended Iyer's innings for just 28 runs off 25 balls. The wicket garnered a special celebration from South African pacer legend Dale Steyn and Sri Lankan spin great Muttiah Muralidharan, both of whom are a part of the SRH coaching staff.
After the match, the leading Proteas Test wicket-taker Steyn explained the story behind the celebration, "I'm not going to lie to you. Sometimes, the players' genius comes out. Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) actually said that he thinks the perfect ball to bowl right now is a yorker. Tom Moody (SRH head coach) and I turned around and said, 'no, if he bowls a yorker now, he is going to be hit for a four over his head'.
"He runs in, bowls a yorker, and knocks the stumps out of the ground! So, honestly, what do I know," Steyn said after the match while speaking to Star Sports, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
"The genius is in the players, guys. They have to do what they have to do, and when they have to do it I just jumped into Murali! I was like, 'you are a spin bowling coach and now you are making these amazing calls," the 38-year-old added.'
The wicket fell in the 10th over of KKR's innings. Iyer was shuffling in his crease and made room to hit on the off-side but Malik's yorker on middle and off was pinpoint as the ball crashed into the stumps. Steyn and Murali had a big laugh and the duo celebrated the wicket.
Chasing KKR's total, SRH's Rahul Tripathi scored 71 runs off just 37 balls with four fours and six sixes. He was helped by South African batter Aiden Markram, who hit an unbeaten 68 off just 36 balls. For KKR, Nitish Rana and Andre Russell scored 54 and 49 respectively to help KKR post a respectable 176.
Meanwhile, this loss have dropped KKR to the fourth spot in the points table while SRH are at the seventh spot with six points from five games.
