'The tree is still giving fruits' - Irfan Pathan congratulates Jammu Kashmir's Umran Malik for IPL selection

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has congratulated Jammu and Kashmir as Umran Malik was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad as a short-term replacement for the second leg of the Indian Premier League 2021 in the UAE. The 21-year-old pacer was picked by SRH as a replacement to T Natarajan, who was tested with COVID recently inside the bubble. 

Jammu and Kashmir is one of the regions of India from where not a lot of cricketers have become famous. But, in the last few years, players such as Parvez Rasool, Abdul Samad and Rasikh Salam appeared in the IPL. While Rasool has previously played for multiple franchises and India as well, Salam had a brief stint with Mumbai Indians. Samad has been a regular for SRH. 

Pathan spent the last few years of his professional career with the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team. He was the player and mentor of the team and several players have acknowledged his role in improvement and development of the J & K team. Irfan on Saturday congratulated them for the new entrant from J & K in the IPL. 

Munaf Patel acknowledges Irfan Pathan’s contribution to Jammu and Kashmir cricket

“Congratulations J&k for yet another selection in the IPL. The tree still giving fruits. Keep it going #umranmalik,” Pathan wrote on his official Twitter account. His former teammate and Indian pacer Munaf Patel also said that the J & K cricket team has highly benefited from his work. “Badhai ho J&K Cricket & @IrfanPathan Bhai Since you have join J&K cricket…… This club is more in lime light,” Patel wrote. 

Speaking of Umran Malik, the 21-year-old will be part of the Sunrisers team until T Natarajan recovers and comes back in the squad. He has played only two white-ball games so far for his state team. The right-arm bowler played a T20 match against Railways earlier this year, picking three wickets and giving 24 runs from his four-over spell. 

Before that, he played just one List A match against Bengal where he conceded 98 runs in 10 overs picking up one wicket. Given SRH’s bowling department’s variety, it is unlikely that the young bowler will get a chance in the XI. Nevertheless, it should be a learning experience for him.