Brett Lee compares ‘top guy’ Umran Malik to legendary Pakistan pacer | Cricket

Pace sensation Umran Malik recently got his maiden India call-up for India’s upcoming T20 series against South Africa. The Sunrisers Hyderabad speedster earned a spot in the set-up after a stellar run in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). The 22-year-old impressed with his raw pace and ability to touch 150 kph on a regular basis, and made waves by winning the ‘fastest delivery of the match’ award 14 straight times in the just-concluded IPL season. IPL 2022 Full Coverage

Umran, who had a splendid competition with 22 wickets at an average of 20.18 in 14 games, earned plaudits for his sheer speed. The son of a fruit vendor, he rattled many batting attacks and went on to become the fastest Indian bowler ever in the history of the IPL. He clocked 157 kph in the game against Delhi Capitals.

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The lightning-quick bowler from Jammu has also earned praise from former Australia Brett Lee, who said Umran reminds him of legendary Waqar Younis. In his heydays, the Pakistan pacer decimated the opposition with his speed and the art of reverse swing bowling. Younis picked up 373 Test wickets and 416 ODI wickets in his illustrious career.

“I am a big fan. I think Umran Malik has got a lot of pace to burn. He is a competitor, a top guy, who runs in like a lot of fast bowlers in the past. Waqar Younis is the person who comes to mind,” Brett Lee told ANI.

Lee also spoke about Virat Kohli’s lean patch with the bat. The star Indian batter is battling his career’s worst slump, having managed just 341 runs in 16 IPL games. His IPL 2022 ended after Royal Challengers Bangalore’s seven-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals in the Qualifier-2.

“I am a massive Kohli fan like a lot of people in the world. I just hope that he really gets his opportunity. He just needs some time out. Spend some time with his family, get reset and hopefully, we can see him scoring some hundreds,” said Lee about the former India captain, who endured a subdued IPL season as he scored runs at a below-par average of 22.73 despite opening the innings in most games.