'Scary' to think what Dawid Malan can contribute at international level: Eoin Morganย
England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan has heaped praise on Dawid Malan for his impact in T20I cricket. Morgan thinks it's 'scary to think' what his fellow left-hander can achieve in the shortest format of the game.
Dawid Malan, the no. 1 batsman in the ICC's T20I rankings, was a cut above everyone else in T20Is last year, scoring 386 runs, which included four half-centuries. His imperious rise in international cricket continued against South Africa last year, as the 33-year-old gleaned 173 runs at a stunning average of 86.5 and a strike-rate of 161.68.
In a press conference ahead of England's 5-match T20I series against India in Ahmedabad , Eoin Morgan said about Malan:
"I do not really know how much further he can go. He has been so exceptional at what he has contributed at the international level. It is scary to think that he can continue to do that and more. It is an exciting time for him. He has been picked in the IPL by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). So, he will continue with his experience of playing in India, which will benefit us, with the World Cup coming up."
The Mohali-based franchise picked up Dawid Malan for INR 1.5 crore in the mini IPL auction earlier this year.
A top-order player with the ability to anchor the innings, Dawid Malan, will bolster a star-studded overseas contingent at Punjab Kings, which includes Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran.
Everyone is looking forward to the extremely exciting Indian challenge: Eoin Morgan
Talking about the T20I series against India, Eoin Morgan opined that it would be a 'learning process and an 'extremely exciting' challenge for the visitors before the T20 World Cup.
"It is going to be, from our point of view, a learning process, going through the situation we might find ourselves in seven months time at the World Cup. The perfect case scenario is that we are playing against one of the best sides in the world in their backyard. And we know they are very difficult to beat, regardless of playing at home or not. The challenge in front of us is extremely exciting, and everyone is looking forward to it," said Eoin Morgan.
The first T20I between India and England starts in Ahmedabad on Friday, March 12. With two evenly-matched teams locking horns, an enticing game could be in store.