Not Lasith Malinga! Zaheer Khan Picks India Speedster As Best Fast Bowler In IPL History

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Zaheer Khan has named Jasprit Bumrah as the greatest fast bowler in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, overlooking stalwarts like Lasith Malinga, Dwayne Bravo, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Despite these bowlers having superior wicket tallies and multiple Purple Cap wins, Zaheer believes Bumrah's impact for Mumbai Indians (MI) makes him the best.

Bumrah, retained by MI for ₹18 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, has been a cornerstone of the franchise since his debut in 2013. The Ahmedabad-born pacer has picked up 165 wickets in 133 matches, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.30. He is also one of only four bowlers to claim multiple five-wicket hauls in the tournament's history.

A five-time IPL champion, Bumrah holds the distinction of being MI's highest-paid player. His contributions have been instrumental in the team's success over the years, and he is set to lead their bowling attack in the upcoming season, which begins on March 22. MI will kick off their campaign against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings on March 23 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, followed by a clash with Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 29.

However, Bumrah's availability for the start of the season remains uncertain due to a lower back injury. If he misses the initial matches, MI is expected to rely on Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Hardik Pandya to spearhead the pace attack.