Fruit-seller to father of sensation: Snapshots of how life has changed for Umran Malik’s family

Umran Malik has been one of the stars of this edition of the IPL, bowling the fastest delivery and earning rave reviews. His family lives in Jammu's Gujjar Nagar.

Abdul Rashid Malik, father of SunRisers Hyderabad's pace bowling sensation Umran Malik, holds up fruits at his stall in Jammu | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Jammu: It is 2 pm and the temperature is a toasty 43 degrees Celsius. Unmindful of the heat, Abdul Rashid Malik is busy arranging vegetables and fruits at his stall in Jammu’s Gujjar Nagar. He has to shut shop early today, as he has to rush home to watch the IPL, in which his son, Umran Malik, has emerged as one of the stars of 2022.

As he is busy winding up his stall, two men in their early twenties approach him and say, “aap fast bowler Umran Malik ke papa ho na? All the best aaj ke match ke liye. (You are fast bowler Umran Malik’s father right? All the best for today’s match)”. Rashid smiles.

This is not unusual for the 55-year-old. Ever since his son made a mark by bowling the fastest ball in the IPL for the SunRisers Hyderabad, he is being approached by many people — some congratulate him, some ask him how Umran is doing, while some only come to him to get a picture clicked with him.

“They tell me that they want to get a picture clicked with me. I tell them to come back when Umran is back home. I am shy,” he says coyly.

As soon as he reaches home, Rashid tells his wife Seema Begum and daughter Shehnaaz to leave all work aside and prepare to watch the match. Tea is made, cookies are laid out in a plate, some nuts in a bowl, and everyone sits down to watch the match.

As Umran’s photo comes on the screen and the commentator calls him a sensation, referring to him as ‘sabse tez gendbaaz’ (fastest bowler), Seema Begum’s face lights up and she blurts proudly ‘mera beta’ (my son).

ThePrint’s National Photo Editor Praveen Jain chronicles how life has changed for the Malik family, and what game day for Umran on the field looks like for them back in Jammu.

Abdul Rashid, Umran Malik’s father, rides a scooty to his shop at Shaheedi Chowk market | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Umran’s sister Shehnaaz with Abdul Rashid outside his shop in Jammu | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Ateeb Tabish (Umran’s childhood friend) with Shehnaaz. Tabish and Umran have been the best of friends, and he considers Shehnaaz as his own sister | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Umran’s family and friends sit in their living room and watch him play on TV | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Shehnaaz (left) and Umran’s mother Seema Begum speak to each other during the IPL match | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Sister and mother pray for Umran’s success on the field as his team SunRisers Hyderabad takes on M.S. Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings on 1 May | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Seema and Shehnaaz can’t hide their joy after Umran sets the record for fastest ball of IPL 2022 against CSK | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Abdul Rashid and Shehnaaz celebrates Umran Malik’s latest feat | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Shehnaaz proudly displays Umran’s practice jersey from an India ‘A’ tour | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Abdul Rashid surrounded by vegetables at his shop in Shaheedi Chowk market | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Umran’s fans now turn up at Abdul Rashid’s stall to talk about his bowling, to wish them well, and sometimes to click pictures with Malik senior | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Abdul Rashid attends to a customer at his shop | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Seema Begum and Shehnaaz prepare break their Ramzan fast on 1 May | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint