Ihsanullah announces retirement following HBL PSL 10 snub

"Not a single franchise contacted me," said Ihsanullah.

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Pace sensation Ihsanullah has announced his retirement from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after being snubbed in the HBL PSL 10 draft. He also made it clear that he will no longer participate in the competition, citing frustration over being ignored by franchises.

"I’ve been overlooked despite my past performances," said Ihsanullah during a candid interview, expressing his disappointment at being bypassed by all franchises. "Not a single franchise contacted me. If you perform, these franchises should come after you. But no one reached out to me."

The 22-year-old pacer, known for his blistering pace, vowed to prove his critics wrong. "My goal is to make them chase after me," Ihsanullah said. "I’ll bowl at a pace of 150-160 km/h, and those who have said I’m a 130-135 km/h bowler, I’ll show them that I wasn’t the same bowler who played in HBL PSL 8 and got injured. In one and a half months, I’ll look much better than that."

Ihsanullah’s frustration is also fueled by comments made by Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Tareen, who questioned whether the pacer could ever return to his top form after undergoing surgery on his elbow.

Tareen had said that despite medical intervention, Ihsanullah would not be able to bowl at his previous pace due to scarring from a prior surgery. “It is very sad… no matter what I do, there is so much scarring from his previously botched surgery that his arm will never become perfectly straight," Tareen remarked. "He’ll never be able to bowl in the same way."

 

 

 

 

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But Ihsanullah has not let these comments deter him. His retirement from the PSL is not just a reaction to the draft exclusion but a realization of the selfish nature of the cricketing world. “I’ve seen it myself—it’s a selfish world with selfish people," he said, reflecting on the industry's lack of support and loyalty.

"I’ve decided to retire from the PSL. I don’t want to play franchise cricket anymore. It’s over for me after today," Ihsanullah declared. "I won’t be seen in the PSL again. My goal now is to represent Pakistan through domestic cricket, not through the PSL."

The pacer also expressed his disappointment with Multan Sultans for not reaching out despite previously supporting his talent. "No one has contacted me," he said. "When someone finds another person, they go with them. He [Ali Tareen] used to support my performance, but now no one’s even reached out."

Ihsanullah’s decision to step away from the PSL is a significant one, considering his exceptional performances in previous seasons. In PSL 8, he played 12 matches, taking 22 wickets at an average of 15.77 and an economy rate of 7.59.

However, an elbow injury sustained during Pakistan’s home ODI series against New Zealand in April 2023 sidelined him for some time. Recently, he made his comeback in competitive cricket, playing in the Champions T20 Cup where he took two wickets in four matches.

Despite his PSL retirement, Ihsanullah remains committed to representing Pakistan at the international level. He has made a mark in international cricket, playing one ODI and four T20Is, where he has claimed six wickets in the T20I format.