Umran Malik bowls 96mph thunderbolt in India's tense T20 win over Sri Lanka

Fast bowler dismissed Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka in two-run win in Mumbai

India's Umran Malik celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka (not pictured) during the first Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on January 3, 2023. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) / ----IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE-----

India's Umran Malik celebrates the wicket of Dasun Shanaka during the first T20 in Mumbai. Malik bowled at a top speed to 155kph in India's win on Tuesday. AP

Umran Malik has now bowled the fastest delivery by an Indian in international cricket - 96mph. AP

India captain Hardik Pandya, left, congratulates debutant Shivam Mavi after he took the wicket of Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana during the first T20 in Mumbai. AFP

India's Shivam Mavi picked up four wickets on his T20 debut. AP

Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka took his team close to a stunning win in Mumbai. AFP

Deepak Hooda top-scored for India on a touch pitch at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. AP

Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana celebrates the wicket of India's Shubman Gill. AP

Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, centre, after the dismissal of India's Ishan Kishan. AP

Young fast bowler Umran Malik continued his meteoric rise in international cricket as he played a major role in securing India a tense two-run win in the first T20 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Tuesday night.

The Indian batsmen struggled on a sluggish surface at the Wankhede Stadium and it was only due to the late strikes of Deepak Hooda (41) and Axar Patel (31) that the hosts managed to post 162-5.

In reply, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals, with debutant seamer Shivam Mavi proving particularly effective, snaring 4-22 in his first outing. However, with India's spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar proving costly and captain Hardik Pandya unable to utilise all their overs, he needed another bowler to share the burden.

That job was done expertly by tearaway quick Malik, who not only kept the runs down and bowled super fast, he also picked up the game-changing wicket.

The Jammu and Kashmir quick bowled the 17th over with the Sri Lankans needing 40 from 24 balls. Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka had swung momentum back in his team's favour as he pulled Malik for a six over square leg to race to 45 from just 25 balls. Then, Malik cranked up the pace and bowled a pin-point yorker, before dismissing Shanaka with a full ball hurled at 155kph (96.3mph). Shanaka could only spoon the ball to cover, where Chahal held on to the chance.

Malik finished with fine figures of 2-27 from his four overs and set up the match for India, who still struggled to cross the finish line as Chamika Karunaratne hit a couple of sixes in the last two overs to bring the equation down to four needed from the last ball – bowled by Axar. A run out in the last ball helped India emerge victorious

While Mavi's four-wicket haul on debut played the biggest role in India's win, Malik's record-breaking spell played its part as well.

Malik has now bowled the fastest delivery by an Indian in international cricket, breaking the record set by Jasprit Bumrah.

Fastest deliveries at T20 World Cup 2022

1. England pacer Mark Wood has bowled the fastest delivery of T20 World Cup 2022 so far, clocking in at 155kph (96.3mph). AP

2. Lockie Ferguson - 155kph (96.3mph). AFP

2. Anrich Nortje - 153kph (95mph). AFP

4. Haris Rauf - 151kph (93.8mph). Getty

5. Chris Jordan - 149 kph (92.5mph). EPA

6. Naseem Shah - 148kph (92mph). AP

7. Lahiru Kumara - 147kph (91.3mph). Getty

8. Mitchell Starc - 145kph (90mph). AFP

9. Hardik Pandya - 145kph (90mph). Getty