J&K pace bowling sensation Umar Nazir Mir was all over the internet and was lauded by many for his match-winning spells of 4/41 and 2/79 against Mumbai on January 23. His heroic effort with the ball delivered J&K their maiden Ranji win against Mumbai in over 10 years.
The 6-foot 4-inch tall bowler ran through the defenses of India captain Rohit Sharma, along with Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube, during the Group A Ranji Trophy fixture. Umar upbringing took place amidst a turbulent landscape. Estimated to be born sometime during the 1990’s, Umar hails from Malikpora of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama situated in the backdrop of a small hamlet between majestic hills and shimmering rivers.
Umar is a right-arm quick bowler and has a bowling action that is more or less comparable to the legendary Glenn McGrath. Following his debut in the 2013-14 season, Umar has been a consistent performer for J&K in the domestic circuit accounting for 144 wickets in 58 first-class matches.
Not known for being an extrovert, Umar is still in awe after that game and can’t believe the fact that he was able to compete against a star-studded Mumbai lineup that featured as many as five Indian Test cricketers.
"The association sent the team to Mumbai 10-15 days in advance to prepare for the match, which helped. Dismissing Rohit was a fan moment for me. I have grown up watching him on television. The fact that I was his fan and I was playing against him was a big thing for me. We all worked hard, and the bowling has been good thanks to the almighty."
More about his family and cricket academy
Umar hails from a middle-class family in Kashmir. His father is a timber businessman by profession while his mother is a homemaker. Umar envisioned bowling like a few Kashmiri speedsters before garnering the attention of Mansoor Lone.
Due to the poor facilities in Kashmir, Umar had to travel around to train at different centers throughout the year in India, including the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Umar discovered through his experiences that cricket serves as an excellent outlet for dispelling negative thoughts. He established the Umar Nazir Cricket Academy in Pulwama with the aim of motivating the upcoming generation.
He set up the academy with the help of his family members. Umar grooms the budding young cricketers in his academy and also spends time on his training. Parvez Rasool, the first Indian cricket to come from J&K showered heaps of praise on Umar. Rasool was impressed to see his potential during his U-19 years, and almost immediately onboarded him onto the Ranji setup.
