Umran Malik not part of India’s T20 World Cup squad for Australia is a big surprise: Brett Lee

Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee believes Umran Malik not part of India’s T20 World Cup squad for the T20 World Cup is a big surprise. Malik has impressed one and all as he can bowl quick and had a fine job for SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2022.

Malik scalped 22 wickets in 14 matches for the Orange Army but he was expensive in his bowling when he got a chance to play for the national team. The 22-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir had scalped two wickets in the three T20I matches he played for the national team but conceded his runs at a high economy rate of 12.44.

Malik had last played against England but didn’t get his opportunities in the following series against West Indies, Zimbabwe, and the Asia Cup. Thus, he still doesn’t have a lot of experience at the International level.

“I would love to see Umran Malik unleashed in Australia, yes. So, to me the big surprise of his T20 World Cup – Umran Malik for India, I think he should play. Cameron Green has to play for Australia. I can’t fathom how Cameron Green isn’t in the team,” Brett Lee said on the sidelines of the Legends League tournament while talking to India Today.
Lee feels the extra pace could be really lethal in the PowerPlay overs but it could be a bane at the fag end of the innings if the bowlers don’t hit the right areas.
“Pace and bounce are crucial but if you are bowling pace at the death and if you are going to bowl length, you are going to be taken down. So, pace up front is good, and pace at the back is good too but it also depends on how well you deliver and execute your plans.
“So the extra bounce is more so for the batsman, how the batsman handles the extra bit of bounce because the sub-continent batters aren’t used to that pace and bounce,” he added.
Earlier, former Indian captain, Dilip Vengsarkar had also shown his surprise at the exclusion of Umran Malik from the T20 World Cup squad.
India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on 23rd October.