Rising star

I am not a fan of IPL matches at all, but I have started following this year for one guy who has impressed almost everyone’s with his extraordinary talent. He is Umran Malik, who is yet to make debut for Team India and has not played much cricket. But he is going to be India’s Shoeb Akhtar, whose speed and accuracy has reminded everyone of Rawalpindi Express or Pakistan great Waqar Yunus.  Umran is playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. With each passing game, Umran is showing his class and craft.

The way he rattles the best batsmen of the world with his speed is something unbelievable. Still uncapped player, his consistency to deliver 145 plus kph speeds including crossing the 150-barrier frequently is his biggest weapon of destruction. He can be a nightmare for any batters. He has showed this on Wednesday night against a match with Gujarat Titans (GT) , where he has given his career best of picking 5-25.

Seeing his lethal spell against GT, the entire cricket community burst with joy. They all have started comparing him with Brett Lee, Shoeb or Shaun Tait. Former cricketers have expressed their desire to include Umran in for India’s squad for the T20 World Cup. Former Indian great Sunil Gavaskar could not control his emotion seeing his extraordinary spell. He was all praise for this rising star.

Irfan Baig, — By email