Pakistan-born pace bowler Zahoor Khan, who represents the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in international cricket, has recently made some intriguing revelations about Indian cricket stars Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma.
In an interview with an Indian sports website, Zahoor shared his experience of being part of the Mumbai Indians camp during the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), held in Dubai. During his stint as a net bowler, he got the chance to interact with top players like Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya.
Zahoor revealed that Bumrah was impressed with his slower deliveries and even asked for tips on how to perfect them. “Bumrah really liked me and asked me about my bowling grip. He said, ‘How do you bowl this slower ball?’ It was a huge moment for me because he’s the No.
1 bowler in the world,” Zahoor said with excitement. He further praised Bumrah’s unique ability to bowl yorkers with the new ball and shared that he sought advice from the Indian pacer on mastering that skill.
“I explained how I bowl the slower ball but also asked him how he manages to bowl yorkers with the new ball. In my opinion, only two people can do that in the world — Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah,” he added.
Zahoor also recalled bowling to Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma during practice. According to Zahoor, his slower deliveries left the Indian batting star surprised. “I bowled a slower ball to Rohit Sharma, and he was baffled because the ball barely reached him,” Zahoor mentioned.
Rohit, known for his batting prowess, was impressed with Zahoor’s deliveries and commented, “Even if the batter picks your delivery, it will never go for a six.”
Zahoor Khan, who has played 62 ODIs and 57 T20Is for the UAE, has taken a total of 165 wickets, and his experiences with top players in the IPL have further solidified his position as a notable talent in international cricket.
