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'If it can happen in Pakistan, then why not India': PSL team owner makes absurd remark on Umran Malik

'If it can happen in Pakistan, then why not India': PSL team owner makes absurd remark on Umran Malik

Umran Malik | Photo: IPL |

Umran Malik has been a revelation in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The youngster, who was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad, has been bowling at express speeds and has already taken 10 wickets in the tournament – impressing both experts and cricket fans alike.

Umran Malik was on song once again on Saturday as he took 1/19 in four overs against Gujarat Titans and even bowled the fastest delivery in the tournament till now - 153.3 kmph.

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Sameen Rana, who is the owner of Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalandars, praised the young fast bowler and compared his rise to Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf.

"I am very happy that Lahore Qalandars have not just impressed Pakistan cricket but also Indian cricket. If you look at Umran Malik's story, you will see that it has been a Haris Rauf-inspired story. Maybe they had followed Haris' story and must have thought if it can happen in Pakistan, then why not in India. Because there are a lot of similarities. Both started from tennis-ball cricket, are from Jammu and Kashmir, no background in first-class cricket," Rana told Paktv.tv in an interview.

Malik said that both Malik and Rauf did not have any first-class cricket experience before making it big and hinted that the story of Rauf may have inspired India to try out a similar experiment.

"I have never seen that happen in IPL before. And it happened until Haris, who became a success and gave others a new pathway. I hope it doesn't happen to Umran, but we were criticised a lot when Haris was in our team that we killed domestic cricket and affected the sport. But today, he is Pakistan's pride. When he goes abroad and plays for teams like Yorkshire, they call him 'Pakistani superstar'. So, we have given cricketers a new pathway and I want to take credit for that," he added.