Umran Malik of Sunrisers Hyderabad bowled a triple wicket maiden in the match against Punjab Kings on Saturday. Malik first burst into the scene when he bowled the fastest ball in IPL history last year, when he clocked 152.95 kph against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Since then, the youngster from Jammu and Kashmir has gone from strength to strength in the league, the crescendo coming on Sunday when he bowled a last over maiden and took 3 wickets in the same over against Punjab Kings.
With his last over maiden, Malik joins the company of Irfan Pathan (2008), Lasith Malinga (2009) and Jaidev Unadkat (2017).
Malik produced a stunning 20th over as Sunrisers Hyderabad bundled out Punjab Kings for 151. The 22-year-old uncapped pacer was on fire in the last over when he picked three wickets while the fourth came via run out. The over ended up being a rare wicket maiden. Malik’s sensational spell came after Liam Livingstone’s counter-attacking counter-attacking 60 off 30 balls (5×4, 4×6). Here is a ball by ball update of the over —
19.1 overs- Umran Malik bowls to Odean Smith, length ball, around the middle and the batter tries to whip this on the leg side, but gets an inside edge back onto his pads.
19.2 overs – Umran Malik to Odean Smith is gone caught and bowled. This was Maliks’s second wicket, much like his first wicket. A shortish ball, outside off which Smith tried to pulls but got a top edge towards the leg side. Malik took a good return catch.
19.3 overs – Umran Malik to Rahul Chahar, length ball, on the pads hits Chahar on the pads.
19.4 overs – Umran Malik to Rahul Chahar, is cleaned up courtesy of a pacey delivery, on a length, on off. Chahar tried to make room but misses and the ball goes and knocks the off stump over.
19.5 overs – Umran Malik to Vaibhav Arora, keeping things simple, and once again it’s on the stumps at around 144 clicks. Arora looks to slash this away but he misses and the ball goes on to hit the top of off. Malik was on a hat-trick here.
19.6 overs – Umran Malik to Arshdeep Singh, was denied a hat-trick on the last ball of the over, as the batter was run-out, bringing an end to a terrific last over. 4 wickets off it and not a single run as Punjab end at 151. However, it was a team hat-trick.
In the post-innings interview, Malik reflecting on his spell, said, “I needs some time (to think what he’s done). In Jammu, it usually gets to 47 or 48 degrees, so it doesn’t matter (the heat), it’s actually nice to play in this heat. I think I have got my line and length better over the last few days, the plan was to keep it full and straight, and in that channel just outside off.”
The cricket world was quick to hail this achievement as former India player Parthiv Patel tweeting, This is serious stuff from #UmranMalik. Pace and accuracy..” Former India speedster Venkatesh Prasad also followed suit, saying “A triple wicket maiden for a final over is an outstanding effort from young Umran Malik. Skills and raw pace and great execution is gold stuff.”