IPL 2022: Picked up my wicket celebration from Dale Steyn, says Umran Malik

Umran Malik says he has picked up his f-pumping celebration after watching his mentor and bowling coach Dale Steyn do it whenever the young tearaway takes a wicket in the Sunrisers Hyderabad nets. Malik played a key role in Sunrisers’ narrow win over Mumbai Indians with a return of 3 for 23 from his three overs at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday night.
“Dale sir stands as the umpire in the nets when I am bowling. When I take a wicket, he does this (celebration). One day I also did that and it has become a habit since,” Umran Malik told Bhuvneshwar Kumar during a chat posted on the Indian Premier League website after Sunrisers’ three-run victory that kept their slender playoff hopes alive.
“I have learnt a lot from him (Steyn). If we are bowling for three hours in the nets, he’ll keep standing with us throughout the three hours.”
Umran’s 21 wickets in his first full IPL season are the fourth-highest overall so far and second-most for a fast bowler this year, just behind Kagiso Rabada’s 22.
“This is my first full season, this was my 13th game. I have played all the matches, so that feels really good,” Umran said. “I have taken wickets and gone for runs too, so in the matches where I have been expensive, I’ve tried to learn from that, from the makes that I’ve made.”
During the chat, Bhuvneshwar called Umran the ‘pace sensation’ and asked him whether speed comes naturally to him or if it is a result of strength training.
Umran Malik in a conversation with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Source: iplt20.com)
“I bowl fast (naturally). So the pace keeps getting generated itself. I put in a lot of effort with my body,” Umran said. “Even in tennis-ball cricket, I would bowl a lot of fast yorkers. So no one would feel like playing against me. That has helped me a lot. The tennis ball is much lighter, so if you are bowling fast with it, it helps you when you bowl with the leather ball.”
After Tim David was run out for 46 off just 18 balls in the MI chase, Bhuvneshwar brought Sunrisers back into the game with a wicket-maiden replete with pinpoint yorkers in the 19th over, leaving Fazalhaq Farooqi with a cushion of 19 runs to defend in the last over. Umran sought to understand what made Bhuvneshwar so successful at the death.
“The most important thing when you are bowling at the death is to stay calm. Many times, if you concede a boundary, you come under pressure. So if you can keep a calm mind, it will help you,” Bhuvneshwar said.
Umran Malik and Bhuvneshwar Kumar enjoy a moment after an IPL match. (Source: iplt20.com)
“It was luck that it (the 19th over) turned out to be a maiden. But I was trying to bowl yorkers,” Bhuvneshwar said. “I felt the yorker was the best option on that wicket to prevent run-scoring, if it was executed well. Luckily, all deliveries landed in a good spot.”
Sunrisers will play their last league game against Punjab Kings at Wankhede on May 22.