Umran Malik made jaws drop when he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and troubled veteran batters with his sheer pace. Malik impressed SRH to an extent that they retained him ahead of mega auction. Malik was fastracked to the Indian limited-overs setup for his ability to bowl thunderbolts. He has also expressed that he wants to break Shoaib Akhtar's record for the fastest delivery in international cricket which he bowled against England at 2003 World Cup. Few months after Malik revealed his goal, Akhtar has offered to help the tearaway pacer.
“I would take 26 yards to bowl. But Umran takes 20 yards. So when he goes to 26 yards, he will have different muscles. I am sure in times to come he will learn. If he needs any help I am always there for him. If you want to break my record, please take it away. It’s been 20 years and it hasn’t been broken, please break it. I will be the first guy to hug and kiss you,” Akhtar was quoted as saying by News24.
“He is very good. He is very strong and has a powerful run-up. He has nice arm speed. So Umran, bowl courageously and learn the art of bowling quickly. Learn the technical aspect. Never compromise with your aggression. Even when you are getting hit a lot, then also don’t reduce your aggression. Always bowl fast. When you go to the field, the ownership of the ground has to be yours. Don’t lose hope and train a lot. You are playing for a great country. People care a lot about this sport. So never let them down and bowl with a big heart,” the Rawalpindi Express added.
Malik's last international appearance was against New Zealand in the T20I series at home. He will be returning to action in upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season for SRH.
“Right now, I’m only thinking about performing well for the country. If I do well, and if I’m lucky, I’ll break that. If not, it’s not a problem. But I don’t think about it too much,” the Jammu & Kashmir had said when asked about whether he will be able to break Akhtar’s record which was created a couple of decades ago.
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