'Overlooked despite my past performances' - Pakistan pacer Ihsanullah retires from PSL after draft pick snub

Pakistan pacer Ihsanullah has announced his retirement from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) following his exclusion from the PSL 10 draft. The 22-year-old speedster, who grabbed eyeballs with his stellar performances in PSL 8, expressed his disappointment over being overlooked despite his prior achievements.

Ihsanullah in PSL 8 while playing for the Multan Sultans, picked 22 wickets at an economy rate of 7.59. His performance earned him a spot in Pakistan’s T20I squad, where he debuted against Afghanistan in March 2023. He was later inducted into the ODI squad, making his debut against New Zealand. However, an elbow injury sustained during the same series, which required surgery and prolonged recovery kept him away from the national side.

The pacer’s rehabilitation process was full of challenges, including alleged mismanagement of his injury. An independent investigation into his recovery led to significant controversy, ultimately resulting in the resignation of Pakistan’s chief medical officer. Despite these setbacks, Ihsanullah returned to competitive cricket, participating in the Champions T20 Cup, where he managed two wickets in four matches. He expressed frustration over being ignored by PSL franchises for the upcoming season.

"I've decided to retire from the PSL. I don't want to play franchise cricket anymore. My goal is now to represent Pakistan without relying on PSL exposure. I've been overlooked despite my past performances. Not a single franchise contacted me. If you perform, these franchises should come after you. But no one reached out to me," he said as quoted by India Today.

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I'll bowl at a pace of 150-160 km/h: Ihsanullah

The young pacer also responded to statements made by Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen, who opined on Ihsanullah’s ability to bowl at high speeds post-injury. 

"It is very sad. No matter what I do, there's so much scarring from his previously botched surgery that his arm will never become perfectly straight. He'll never be able to bowl in the same way," Tareen said.

These remarks did not go well with Ihsanullah, who criticized the lack of support from his colleagues and the cricket fraternity. "This is a selfish world with selfish people. I've realized that loyalty and support are scarce in this industry. My goal is to make them chase after me. I'll bowl at a pace of 150-160 km/h. For those who doubted me as a 130-135 km/h bowler, I'll show them that I'm stronger than before. In a month and a half, I'll look even better than the bowler who played in HBL PSL 8 before getting injured," the pacer concluded.