Whatmore bowled over by Umran Malik
FORMER Australian cricketer and World Cupwinning coach Dav Whatmore last Sunday (29) said Umran Malik was a breath of fresh air in the world of pace bowling, and expressed the hope that the 22-year-old went from strength to strength.
Whatmore, who was in Srinagar as part of a camp at a private school, said many youngsters from Jammu and Kashmir would like to emulate the pace sensation.
“Umran Malik is a breath of fresh air for the speed and pace bowling. He has been wonderful to the point that he was retained by his (IPL) franchise which is a big thing,” the cricketer, who has in the past coached Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh among other teams, told reporters.
“I am sure there are a lot of youngsters in this state that would like to emulate Malik.”
He also congratulated the young pace bowler for being selected in the Indian national side in the home T20 series against South Africa.
“Let's hope he does well. Congratulations to him for being selected in the Indian squad. We all hope that he goes from strength to strength,” Whatmore said.
The batsman, who was part of the Australian squad which played a match in Jammu and Kashmir in 1979, expressed hope that his second visit to the state would not be his last.
“I played a match here in 1979 when Australia toured India and there was a match in Srinagar. I remember that was the first game on the tour, so that was my first experience of Srinagar,” he said.
“That was wonderful. This is my second visit here and I hope it is not the last.”