Last Update: January 09, 2023, 08:53 AM IST
As the BCCI fielded a young Indian squad for the Sri Lanka T20Is, it was a great opportunity for the budding cricketers to showcase their talents. Jammu pacer Umran Malik was one of the young guns who played all three matches in the series and ended it as the highest wicket-taker. In three innings, the right-arm pacer took 7 wickets at an average of 15.14.
Umran’s rise internationally has been impressive. Since his debut in the tour of Ireland last year, the pacer has taken 9 wickets in 6 matches, including 3 for 48 (vs Sri Lanka in Pune).
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east India Opener Wasim Jaffer heaped praise on Umran Malik, saying that he has improved a lot and taken wickets since he saw him in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“I thought he has improved a lot. Since I saw him in IPL, I thought he will always be expensive in this format because he doesn’t have a lot of variation or slow balls. When you bowl at 145-150 clicks Sometimes you have to beat the batsmen along with the lack of pace,” Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo.
“Whatever comes with pace, he gets off the field because the batsmen are clever enough to use that pace. But his line and length have improved a lot. He also has the ability to take wickets. He has been expensive in games but has picked up important wickets. So, since the time I have seen him in IPL, he has improved a lot.”
Umran was one of the top wicket-takers in IPL 2022, taking 22 wickets in 14 matches with best figures of 5 for 25. He was the highest wicket-taker for his franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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In the third and final T20I at Rajkot, Malik picked up two wickets in the form of Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka and Mahesh Tikshana, while conceding 31 runs in three overs at an economy of 10.30.
India registered 91 runs over Sri Lanka in the final T20I to clinch the three-match series 2-1 on Saturday.
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