Meeting Virat Kohli was a dream come true for Umran Malik: SRH speedster’s father

Although the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was nothing but forgettable for Sunrisers Hyderabad, they gave a platform to Umran Malik to impress fans with his thunderbolts. The young pacer from Jammu and Kashmir breathed fire on his IPL debut and left the cricket world stunned. He even bowled the fastest delivery of this year’s IPL (152.95 kmph).

Interestingly, the 21-year-old wasn’t even a part of SRH’s initial squad. He only came in as a short-term replacement for left-arm pacer T Natarajan, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the season. However, Malik grabbed the opportunity with both hands and earned praises from different corners. With Umran becoming the talk of the town, his father, Abdul Malik, was left overwhelmed.

In a conversation Sports Tak, he revealed how Umran was inclined to cricket since his childhood. Abdul also revealed how that meeting Virat Kohli was Malik’s dream which came true after the game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad on October 6.

“It was Umran’s dream to meet Virat Kohli. It came true after the (RCB vs SRH) match. Whatever he asks from god, he gets it,” said Abdul. For the unversed, the game between SRH and RCB marked Umran’s second appearance in IPL. The right-arm speedster bowled another fiery spell as Bangalore batters struggled to score against him.

Virat Kohli had lauded Umran Malik’s thunderbolts

In his quota of four overs, the youngster conceded mere 21 runs alongside picking up an important wicket of KS Bharat. Riding on his prowess, the Orange Army narrowly won the contest by four runs. After the game, Umran got to meet with his idol as the duo was spotted having a conversation. In the post-match presentation, Kohli also said it’s necessary to keep a track on players like Umran.

“This tournament throws up talent every year, good to see a guy bowling at 150 clicks. It is important to understand the progress of individuals from hereon. The pool of fast bowlers being strong is always a good sign for Indian cricket and whenever you see talent like this, you are going to have your eyes on them and make sure you maximise their potential which is already being seen at the IPL level,” Kohli had said.