Malik has picked up 15 wickets in 11 matches this season
Umran Malik has impressed the entire cricketing world with his raw pace in the ongoing season of the IPL. Recently, the Jammu Express bowled the fastest ball of the season clocking 157 kmph.
Anrich Nortje, in conversation with PTI, talked about Malik and how the pace is secondary to the actual execution. He started by saying that he expects Umran to play for India.
I am sure Umran is going to be one of the key players for India in near future. Luck will also have to play its part. But most importantly, it's about the quality of what you deliver as we have seen the fastest deliveries that are being awarded are going for boundaries.
Nortje further added that it is about the quality of execution that matters and not pace alone.
It doesn't matter at what pace it is bowled. Pace is not the be-all and end-all. It is about the quality of execution. And I believe he is improving on that aspect of having control with pace. Also at Sunrisers Hyderabad, under Dale, Umran is in good hands. He has a lot of senior and experienced players around him, so he will certainly improve.
In 11 matches played this season, Umran has taken 15 wickets including a fifer vs Gujarat Titans. He has bowled at an economy of 9.10. Earlier, Tom Moody, in conversation with ESPNcricinfo said that he'd never expect Malik to become a line and length bowler.
Don't think he'll ever be a line-and-length bowler. He's born in a Ferrari and he's going to drive the Ferrari. Given he's a part of the Sunrisers family, that's something I and the likes of Dale Steyn will make sure we communicate constantly throughout the year with the key people with him, at the state level, and also at the high-performance level, to make sure that we're all on the same page, looking after a rare diamond.
