Umran Malik makes debut for India in a match against Ireland

Since joining team India in 2021, Umran Malik has not been given the chance to show off his performance. However, his debut is neigh.

On Sunday, the Sunriser Hyderabad’s bowler finally represented his country in international cricket in Dublin versus Ireland in a T20I match. Malik was playing with the Men in Blue squad, alongside captain Hardik Pandya, vice-captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar, as well as star players such as Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal and the rest of the team,

The match was won by India which bagged a stellar 7-wicket victory over Ireland.

As a debutant, Malik was benched at the start, but he finally got his cap from Kumar to play in his first match. He was the 98th player from India to debut in T20 International cricket.

Teammates' support for Malik

In his first time wearing the Men in Blue uniform, Malik bowled only one over as he conceded 14 runs. But, he bagged 22 wickets in the 15th season of the tournament.

Malik's India teammates, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took one wicket and gave 16 runs in that match thanked the IPL side for the youngster’s debut. He also notes the IPL effect on him and other youngsters that made them get their debut.

"Umran and other youngsters from around the world have made their debut because of the IPL which is great," Kumar said after the match.

The debut from Malik emphasized his magnificent performance for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. In his recent IPL, Malik took 22 wickets in his 14 runs for the team. For the 2022 season long, the youngster was in the 4th place of highest wicket-taker for the team who homed at Hyderabad.

In fact, the board said that it was Malik's performance in IPL this season that gave him his maiden national call-up this year.

Reactions on Malik debut

Before the match, Indian veteran and former captain Dilip Vengsarkar said Malik is one of the best bowlers with exciting talent in the IPL. BCCI named Malik for the game against South Africa, but team India did not hand out the youngster's debut then.

At the ‘The 1983 World Cup Opus’ book launch event, Vengsarkar said that the youngster must be given the debut.

“I hope he is in the plane and I am sure he will do well if given an opportunity," he said.

Member of the historic 1983 India winning team, Roger Binny said he agreed with his teammate. Binny said that Malik should be given the chance straight away, in all of the three-game series versus Ireland.

"There is definitely going to be a bigger bunch of fast bowlers coming through now. And he (Umran) should be given a chance straight away because he has proved that he is quick and if you saw him bowl some of the yorkers in the IPL that was brute force. So you cannot keep a youngster out for that long," Binny said.

After his Sunday debut, Malik will have his second performance for Men in Blue in the second T20I match against Ireland on June 28 afterwards.