Fast bowler Umran Malik said
he picked up his celebration style from his mentor Dale Steyn. He does it
whenever he takes a wicket. In the nets, Steyn celebrates with his
signature style whenever Umran Malik takes a wicket in the SunRisers Hyderabad’s
practice session and the Indian pacer picked up the same from there and made it a habit.

Also Read: Umran Malik: The strike bowler who keeps sparkling

The 22-year-old pacer played
a vital role in SunRisers Hyderabad’s narrow three runs win over Mumbai Indians
at the Wankhede Stadium. Umran took three wickets for 23 runs in three overs.

“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
(IPL) website after the match.

Also Read: IPL 2022: Jasprit Bumrah’s bouncy journey to 250 T20 wickets

“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 now has 21 wickets in
13 wickets which is the fourth highest this season and second-most for a fast
bowler, just behind Kagiso Rabada’s 22.

Also Read: Mentor Dale Steyn wants Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Umran Malik to bowl as per field, change pace

“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 mistakes that I’ve made.

During the chat, Bhuvneshwar
called Umran the ‘pace sensation’ and asked him how he generates sheer pace.

Also Read: From Umran Malik to Shaun Tait: IPL’s fastest deliveries

“I bowl fast (naturally). So
the pace keeps getting generated by 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.”

With 19 runs required 10
balls, Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a terrific wicket-maiden over in the 19th over
which brought SRH back, 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 overs.

Also Read: Umran Malik dismisses Saha with a 153 kmph yorker, bags maiden 5-wicket haul. Watch

“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.