Umran Malik is the emerging speedster from Kashmir who has captured the attention of the cricketing world with his pace-bowling. Born in Gujjar Nagar in the city of Jammu Malik became a prominent figure in the world of cricket thanks to his passion and dedication.
The 24-year-old currently represents Jammu and Kashmir in all forms of cricket including the Ranji Trophy and also plays in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
On the other hand, Abid Nabi is widely considered a pioneer for Kashmir cricket. He is among the first cricketers from the region to achieve national recognition and open doors for future generations of Kashmiri players. Known as the ‘speed king’, he earned his fame thanks to his bowling speed and hitting ability. He represented Jammu & Kashmir in various competitions and is considered one of the most successful cricketers from the state.
Umran Malik’s career in numbers
Umran Malik’s bowling style is defined by blistering pace, regularly exceeding 150 km/h, making him a formidable weapon, particularly in T20 cricket.
Malik made his state T20 debut against Railways in 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 chosen as one of the three net bowlers for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was promoted to the first team for the match against Kolkata Knight Riders and later played against RCB, where he bowled five consecutive deliveries exceeding 150 km/h.
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 debut for India in a T20 series against Ireland on 26 June 2022 but struggled, giving away 14 runs in his single over. In the second match of the series, he recorded figures of 1/42 in 4 overs. Malik made his ODI debut against New Zealand in November 2022, finishing with figures of 2/66 in 10 overs
Abid Nabi’s career in numbers
Abid Nabi was a tall right-arm speedster, known for his lethal fast-bowling spells and handy batting cameos. Rising through the youth ranks of J&K cricket, Nabi made his senior state debut in a Ranji Trophy match against Orissa at Srinagar, picking up 5 wickets in the match.
Nabi also represented J&K in the Duleep and Deodhar Trophy, while simultaneously playing in English County Cricket, where he featured in seven matches for South Yorkshire in 2005. He made his List-A debut in 2005 against Delhi and claimed a 5-for. In first-class cricket, his best bowling figures in an innings are 6/91, while in List-A cricket, his top performance is 5/50.
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC | 30 | – | 5610 | 3123 | 108 | 6/91 | – | 28.91 | 3.34 | 51.9 | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| List A | 24 | – | 1062 | 1084 | 26 | 5/50 | 5/50 | 41.69 | 6.12 | 40.8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| T20s | 25 | 25 | 525 | 608 | 22 | 2/13 | 2/13 | 27.63 | 6.94 | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Who has Better Bowling Stats?
While Abid Nabi has already retired from cricket and Umran Malik is still in his early stages, the former has had a better domestic career overall. In FC career, Nabi has a significantly better bowling average of 28.91 as compared to Malik’s 44.62. Nabi’s strike rate stands at 51.9 with the best bowling figures of 6/91 while Malik’s average currently stands at 64.4 with the best bowling figures of 4/121.
In their List A career, Nabi has taken 26 wickets from 24 matches with a strike rate of 40.8 while Malik has 13 dismissals to his name from 14 matches with a healthy strike rate of 37.8.
In T20s, Nabi has taken 33 wickets from 25 matches with an economy rate of 6.94 while Malik has taken 65 wickets from 54 matches with an economy rate of 9.10. Malik does, however, have a significantly better strike rate of 16.4 as compared to Nabi’s 23.8.
While comparing the two directly can be challenging since they played in different eras of the sport, Nabi’s impact can be considered significant as he laid the foundation for cricket in Kashmir.
Read More: Kashmir to Host International Cricket Stars After 40 Years With Legends League, Check Details
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.
