Jammu and Kashmir has produced several exceptional cricketers who have made a mark on the national and international stage. Many young cricketers have risen through the ranks and showcased their talent on the grand stage.
In modern-day cricket, Umran Malik and Abdul Samad are the two names that echo in the ears of every cricket fan from J&K. Both have represented their state at the national and have also been a part of India’s domestic T-20 league – IPL. Let us take a look at which of the two cricketers has impressed the most in IPL.
Umran Malik
Born in Gujjar Nagar in the city of Jammu, Umran Malik burst onto the scene on his state T20 debut against Railways on 18 January 2021 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy picking 3/24 in 4 overs. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2021 against Puducherry and picked up 3 wickets.
In April 2021, Malik was selected as one of three net bowlers for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Malik made his IPL debut when T Natarajan contracted COVID-19 19 resulting in Malik getting promoted to the first team against Kolkata Knight Riders. He then played against RCB where he bowled 5 consecutive balls above 150km/h.
IPL 2022 proved to be a breakout season for Malik. He took a 5-wicket haul against Gujrat Titans and bowled the fastest ball by an Indian in the IPL clocking 157 km/h against Delhi Capitals. In 14 matches, Malik took 22 wickets which earned him the Emerging Player of the Tournament Award. Despite finishing 8th in the points table, Malik made a significant impact on SRH in 2022.
Malik failed to replicate his form in the 2023 season of IPL ending the season with only 5 wickets.
In his IPL career, Malik has played 26 matches taking 29 wickets with an economy rate of 9.40. His best bowling figures came against Gujarat Titans in 2022 when he took 5/25 in 4 overs.
Malik has also represented India at the international level. He made his India debut against Ireland on 26 June 2022 in a T20 series but failed to impress conceding 0/14 in his 1 over. In the second match of the same series, he conceded 1/42 in 4 overs. His ODI debut came against New Zealand in November 2022 and finished with the figures of 2/66 in 10 overs.
Abdul Samad
Abdul Samad hails from the Kalakote region of Jammu city. Samad’s career kickstarted during a trial in Jammu where he caught the eye of former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan and Jammu and Kashmir coach Milap Mewada.
Like Umran Malik, Samad also made his state debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy. In the 2019-20 season, he was picked up for the Ranji Trophy squad and became one of the ever-present in the J&K team. He has played 23 matches in the Ranji trophy scoring 1197 with the best score of 128.
In the 2020 IPL auction, he was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad and made his debut against Delhi Capitals. Samad made a name for himself thanks to his big-hitting ability. He made some valuable contributions to his team often helping them to finish with a flurry. In the IPL Auction 2023, the SRH retained the services of Abdul Samad for Rs 4 Crore.
Samad has played 50 matches in the IPL scoring 577 runs with a strike rate of 146 and a highest score of 37. He has also been handy with the ball taking 2 wickets for SRH.
In their respective IPL careers, Umran Malik has had a slightly better career so far. Though both the players are different in their roles, with Umran Malik’s main job to take wickets and Abdul Samad contributing as an all-rounder, Malik has earned more plaudits among the two which earned him a call-up to the Indian National Team.
Read More: 3 IPL Teams That Can Sign Umran Malik for the 2025 IPL Season
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
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