India’s pace sensation Umran Malik and New Zealand's speedster Lockie Ferguson made headlines for registering searing numbers on the speed gun thanks to their fast pace bowling throughout the recently concluded IPL 2022.
In 2022, Malik and Ferguson bowled regularly over 150 km/h in the IPL, with Ferguson clocking the max of 157.3 kph and Malik clocking fastest at 157 kph.
Following his fruitful season with SRH, Umran Malik was handed a maiden call-up to the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, starting on June 9 in Delhi.
Well, Pakistan’s pacer Shaheen Afridi seemed not very impressed with Umran Malik's pace, saying pace won't be able to help you if you can't swing the ball and have proper line and length.
On being asked about Ferguson and Umran’s mindboggling pace bowling in the IPL 15, ahead of the West Indies series at home, Shaheen said: “Speed can’t help you if you don’t have line and length and swing.”
Meanwhile, the Pakistan pacer is also looking forward to giving his best in the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies, starting on June 8.
He added, “The weather is hot but we are looking forward to playing good cricket in it. It would be a tough challenge for the fast bowlers to bowl long spells in summer but as a professional, we are ready to face it.”
Afridi said that West Indies is a "strong" team, but the hosts would not concede a single point in the ODI series as it is very important for Pakistan’s qualification for the 2023 World Cup in India.
The upcoming ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies is part of the ICC ODI Super League.
He signed off by saying, “This is an important series in terms of World Cup qualification which is why we don’t want to lose any match. Also, West Indies are a strong international side and it is not as if they are sending under-19 players for this series.
(With Hindustan Times Inputs)
