'Stuff of dreams' - Cricketing fraternity hails Umran Malik for bowling a maiden 20th over vs PBKS

Sunrisers Hyderabad have been exceptional ever since their third game of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. They lost their first two matches and then registered a hattrick of wins. Their bowling attack has been superb, to say the least, and it once again delivered in the game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday (April 17). Umran Malik was the star with the ball as he picked a four-wicket haul and also bowled a stunning maiden over to end the innings.

After opting to bowl first, veteran Bhuvneshwar struck first to remove Shikhar Dhawan before T Natarajan sent back Prabhsimran Singh who was playing his first match of the season. Jagadeesha Suchith then got into the action to pin Jonny Bairstow in front of the stumps. PBKS would’ve hoped for some respite after the first half of the innings but then Umran Malik stepped up to trouble the opposition batters with his fiery pace.

Jitesh Sharma was the first to feel the heat as he top-edged a pacy short ball from the youngster only to be get caught by the bowler himself. However, Liam Livingstone stunned everyone, not for the first time, with his batting smashing 60 off just 33 balls. But he didn’t get the required support from the other end.

Umran Malik shines in the final over

PBKS, at one stage, were looking good to post a total close to 170. But SRH pulled back things well at the death with veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar keeping it tight while Umran Malik showed off his skills in the final over as well. PBKS were 151/6 when in the final over and Umran ended up picking three wickets in the over and there was a run-out off the final delivery as well.

Umran first dismissed Odean Smith hurrying him up for the pace and didn’t miss out on a caught & bowled chance. Then he was too good for the tailenders castling Rahul Chahar and Vaibhav Arora off successive deliveries. At no point in the over he reduced his pace and kept clocking mostly above 145 kph.

He had a great chance to pick up a hattrick but Arshdeep Singh denied him only to get run-out as PBKS were bundled out for 151 runs and Umran delivered a sensational maiden in the last over to end with the magical figures of 4/28. He also became only the fourth bowler in the history of IPL to deliver a maiden 20th over.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: