India’s young pacer Umran Malik became an overnight sensation after he gave nightmares to the batters during the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. Playing for SunRisers Hyderabad, Umran Malik made the batters dance to his tunes as he consistently clocked his arm at the speed of 150. hr. It didn’t take much time for the BCCI to draft him into the national squad and give him a couple of chances. However, as he was going a bit expensive in his spells, the management decided to rethink their strategy.
There were many who felt that the young pacer was rushed into the format and he needs more time to groom himself. Ever since then, the youngster was waiting for his place in the playing XI till the T20 World Cup 2022. However, the management brought him back into the Indian squad for the New Zealand series and made his ODI debut in the first match.
Playing his first-ever ODI match for India, Umran Malik picked up a couple of important wickets despite the short boundaries of Eden Park. Umran returned with the figures of 2/66 as he picked up the wickets of Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell as he stole the show with his impeccable fast bowling.
Though, Malik has been receiving praise from experts and critics, his father Abdul Rashid made a surprising remark about his son. Umran’s father said that it was good that his son didn’t play in the T20 World Cup as things happen when they are meant to as things don’t need to be rushed with him. Speaking to News18, Rashid said,
“Dekhiye janab… Log keh rahe the na, ki world cup nahi khela, lekin hum kehte hai ki achha hua jo nahi khela. Jo jab hona rehta hai wahi hota hai! (People were saying that he couldn’t get selected for the World Cup. We think it is great that he didn’t make it. Things happen when they are meant to).
He added: “You don’t need to rush behind anything. The kid is in the learning phase. He shares the dressing room with the experienced ones. He’ll go there and learn from them. You need not hurry. The big players who are already there are doing pretty well while others get the opportunity after being noticed,”
Speaking on his ODI debut on Friday, November 25, Rashid said, “It was important for him to play the ODIs and he made a decent debut. The almighty backed him so did the entire nation. Sabka kehna tha ki Umran Mallik aur Sanju Samson ko khilao (People were talking about getting Umran and Sanju Samson in the team. It happened today and we felt great.”