A video going viral on social media features Pakistan-born fast bowler **Zahur Khan**, who has played for **United Arab Emirates** in more than 100 international matches. He claims that Indian fast bowler **Jasprit Bumrah** learned the specifics of his cheating **slower ball** variation from him when he joined the **Mumbai Indians** (MI) franchise.
In the clip, Zahoor is talking about the 2019-2020 IPL season in the UAE or the associated nets session, where he served as a net bowler for MI. He described bowling a maiden over to West Indies batsman **Lendl Simmons** in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, in which he bowled five consecutive slow balls, which had the same action as his fast balls. It is said that Bumrah saw the video of that over, went up to him and asked, “How do you bowl this slow ball?” (How do you bowl this slow ball?). Zahoor claims that he showed off his grip and technique in the nets, showing how to maintain hand speed while reducing pace through finger rotation and wrist action.
Zahoor described it as a “huge thing” for him, and noted that Bumrah was one of the best bowlers in the world. He linked this anecdote to Bumrah’s recent masterclass in the **2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup**, where Bumrah took 14 wickets (including a brilliant 4/14 in the final against New Zealand), with the slower balls proving very effective.
This claim has sparked debate online, with some fans being skeptical—pointing out that Bumrah had been using cutters and slower variations effectively as early as 2018 (before the alleged 2019 conversation). Others laud it as an example of knowledge-sharing in the franchise setup, highlighting Bumrah’s reputation as a dedicated learner who is willing to hone his skills with net bowlers and teammates.
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Bumrah has not publicly commented on this particular claim. Zahoor, who has played in leagues like the ILT20 for MI Emirates and worked for MI in a training role, has made similar statements in previous interviews (e.g., 2020–2024), and has often praised interacting with stars like Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya.
The video has resurfaced after India’s T20 World Cup win, increasing the discussion on how even small players can impress top talent with their skill and deception.
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