Jammu and Kashmir’s express pacer Umran Malik has joined the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp during the ongoing IPL 2025 season. The 25-year-old was acquired by the franchise for his base price of ₹75 lakh at the mega auction. Unfortunately, Malik was sidelined from the tournament due to injury.
Though he has joined the squad in Kolkata, he will not feature in any matches this season. KKR confirmed that the young speedster will continue his rehabilitation while staying with the team for the rest of the campaign. Announcing his arrival, KKR shared an update on X:
#UmranMalik has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and “return to cricket” programme with KKR for the remainder of the season. He’s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best! Welcome to the family, Umran.”
⚡️#UmranMalik has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and “return to cricket” programme with KKR for the remainder of the season.
He’s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best!… pic.twitter.com/yAGcxhwTJX
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 25, 2025
After joining the squad, Malik was spotted bowling in the nets ahead of KKR’s upcoming clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS).
⚡️#UmranMalik has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and “return to cricket” programme with KKR for the remainder of the season.
He’s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best!… pic.twitter.com/yAGcxhwTJX
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 25, 2025
Notably, Saurashtra’s left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya was announced as Umran Malik’s replacement by the three-time champions ahead of IPL 2025. Led by Ajinkya Rahane, KKR have secured three wins from eight matches and currently sit seventh on the points table. They are set to take on PBKS at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Saturday, April 26.
Umran Malik’s IPL career lost momentum after a strong and promising debut
Umran Malik made his IPL debut in 2021 for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) against KKR, quickly gaining attention for his raw pace. He had a standout season in 2022, claiming 22 wickets in 14 matches, which also earned him a call-up to the Indian national team.
Despite the early promise, his form declined soon after. In IPL 2024, although SRH finished as runners-up, Malik had limited chances to showcase his skills, playing only one match throughout the season.
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