In a major revelation that’s sparked discussions among cricket fans on social media, Pakistan-born United Arab Emirates (UAE) fast bowler Zahoor Khan has claimed that Indian pace spreadhead Jasprit Bumrah picked up key aspects of his deceptive slower delivery from him during their time together with the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise.
The video of Pakistan-born cricketer, who has represented the UAE in over 100 international matches, has surfaced on social media, following Bumrah’s masterclass in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where India recently defeated New Zealand in the final to win the title.
Zahoor Khan’s Bold Claim
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In a video which is going viral on social media, Zahoor, who represented the UAE internationally and served as a net bowler for Mumbai Indians, shared his experience.
According to Zahoor, the interaction took place in 2019/2020 when he was serving as a net bowler for the Mumbai Indians during their stint in the UAE. He recounted how his performances in the nets caught the attention of star players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Zahoor claims that Bumrah was particularly impressed by his slower balls, which he delivered with the same action as his faster deliveries, making them hard to pick. He specifically mentioned an instance from the Abu Dhabi T10 league where he bowled a maiden over to West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons, deceiving him with five slower deliveries.
As per Zahoor, Bumrah watched the video of that over and approached him with curiosity.
The Encounter: Zahoor states that Bumrah asked him directly, “Yeh slower ball kaise dalte ho?” (How do you bowl this slower ball?).
The Lesson: Zahoor claims he showed Bumrah his specific grip in the nets, explaining how to maintain the same arm speed while drastically reducing the pace of the ball.
The Impact: Zahoor notes that Bumrah now bowls that variation with extreme perfection, as seen during his 14-wicket haul in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Watch Viral Video Featuring Zahoor Khan
SHOCKING REVEALATION ABOUT JASPRIT BUMRAH BY A PAKISTANI BORN UAE CRICKETER ZAHOOR KHAN.!!!
Zahoor Khan said that Jasprit Bumrah has learned his slower delivery variation from me back in 2019 when I played with him in Mumbai Indians.
He said that I bowled a maiden over to… pic.twitter.com/mAtzsGZDMj
— (@was_abdd) March 10, 2026
This was Jasprit Bumrah with one of the greatest slower balls in cricket history that too in 2018.
So the chances of this statement being true are about the same as Pakistan’s chances of winning against India anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/WQNKgSzTiT https://t.co/ilrhoU2A4X
— AK 45 (@ImRo45_Club) March 10, 2026
Zahoor described the moment as a “huge deal” for him, given Bumrah’s status as one of the world’s premier bowlers.
Bumrah, A Sincere Student Of The Game
While Jasprit Bumrah has not publicly commented on the claim, it underscores his reputation as a student of the game – always open to learning and evolving.
Zahoor’s story serves as a reminder of how even net bowlers can influence top stars through sheer skill and deception. The revelation has gone viral on social media, with fans debating the impact of such exchanges on Bumrah’s growth into the No. 1-ranked fast bowler in multiple formats.
