ICC World T20 2021: Umran Malik to stay back in UAE as Team India net bowler

Indian pacer Umran Malik has been one of the attractions of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL). His sheer ability to bowl consistently at a speed of 150 km/h has garnered a lot of eyeballs.

As a result, he has been rewarded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As per ESPNCricinfo, he would be staying back in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to assist Team India as a net bowler for the ICC World T20 2021, which gets underway from October 17.

Catch all IPL 2021 updates here

Malik had just played a List-A and Twenty20 (T20) game for Jammu and Kashmir before making his way into the IPL. After pacer T Natarajan was infected by COVID, he was roped in as his replacement and hs delivered.

Consequently, he also managed to grab the attention of Team India skipper Virat Kohli. He feels that Malik is a rare talent and should be utilised by India.

ALSO READ: ICC World T20 2021: Will Ishan Kishan open alongside Virat Kohli?

"This tournament throws up talent every year. It's good to see a guy bowling at 150 clicks. It's important to understand the progress of individuals from here on, how to maintain your body and how you can get the best out of them. The pool of fast bowlers being strong is always going to be a good thing for Indian cricket. Whenever you see talent like this, obviously you're going to have your eyes on them and make sure that you maximise their potential," Kohli had said during the post-match presentation of Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) win over Delhi Capitals (DC) on Friday.

Malik has claimed just a couple of wickets in three matches this season, at an economy of 8.00. He has bowled over 150 km/h on seven occasions this term, while his top speed happens to be 152.95 km/h, which is also the fastest delivery of the season.