Hardik Pandya-led Team India on Tuesday registered a close win against Sri Lanka in the inaugural game of the three-match T20I series. India set a target of 163 and went on to win the game by two runs. While Deepak Hooda 41(23) and Shivam Mavi (4/22) shined for India, Umran Malik also impressed with his sheer pace.
Among his two wickets, the one in which Umran dismissed the Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka was a 155 kph ripper. The scorching wicket-taking delivery by the right-armer was not just the quickest in the match but the fastest delivery ever bowled by any Indian pacer. He ended the 1st T20I match with a convincing figure of 2/27 in 4 overs. It was also his first international game at home; before appearing for this game, he had played 5 ODI’s and 3 T20I’s games but outside India.
The record of the fastest delivery by an Indian pacer was previously held by Jasprit Bumrah. He had achieved the feat during the first Test of the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar series at the Adelaide Oval, bowling a 153.2 kph delivery. Bumrah, who has been out of action for quite a while, is also back in the ODI squad against Sri Lanka.
“Bilaterals we are very good at and this is how we are going to challenge ourselves. To be honest, all the young guns got us out of the situation today. The conversation was very simple, I have seen him (Mavi) bowl well in the IPL and I know what are his strengths, just back yourself and don’t worry about getting hit. If the same situation is there then yes, I have worked on my swing bowling and I have worked on that (inswinger), I am bowling in nets and I like bowling with the new ball,” said Indian captain Hardik Pandya after the match.
