News
IPL
Features arrow
Fantasy Cricket
Women’s Premier League (WPL)
Interviews
Watch
Social Reactions
menu menu
search
News
January 15, 2025 - 10:36 am

22-Year-Old Pakistan International Pacer Retires From PSL in Shocking Decision

The right-arm pacer was a standout performer in PSL 2023, taking 22 wickets in 12 matches and finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season.

Pakistan’s fast bowler Ihsanullah has announced his retirement from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the age of 22 after being unpicked in the PSL 2025 draft.

The right-arm pacer was a standout performer in PSL 2023, taking 22 wickets in 12 matches and finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season.

Also Read: Where Should Virat Kohli Bat for RCB in IPL 2025?

Ihsanullah, who has played for the Multan Sultans, regularly bowled above 150 kmph, troubling the best of the batters and making T20I and ODI debuts for Pakistan. But he could not play in the 2024 PSL season after sustaining an elbow injury and hasn’t been able to regain his pace since returning.

Ihsanullah Announces Retirement from PSL

Speaking with Public News, Ihsanullah stated that he no longer wants to play franchise cricket and has opted to retire from the PSL. He said that he will not return to the league. His priority is now to represent Pakistan with great performances in domestic cricket rather than in the PSL.

He also expressed unhappiness with a lack of support, claiming that no one had contacted him and emphasizing how people frequently move on to others when they discover a new talent. Ihsanullah noted that Ali Tareen, Multan Sultans’ owner, had previously encouraged his performance and talent.

“I just don’t want to play franchise cricket anymore. It’s over after today. I completely boycott it and retire from the PSL. I won’t be seen in the PSL again. I want to represent Pakistan by performing in domestic cricket, not by playing in the PSL,” he said.

“No one has contacted me; you know this world is selfish. When someone else finds another person, they go with them. He (Ali Tareen – owner of Multan Sultans) used to support my performance and talent,” he added.

Determined to Prove Critics Wrong About His Pace

Ihsanullah explained that in franchise cricket, if you perform well, the teams will seek you out. His goal is to make franchises pursue him. He is focused on improving his performance to achieve that. He plans to bowl at speeds of 150-160 km/h. He is confident that he will be in much better form moving forward.

“If you perform, these franchises will come after you. My goal is to make them chase after me, and I need to perform like that. I’ll bowl at a pace of 150-160, and those who have said I’m a 130-135 bowler, in one and a half months, I’ll show them that I wasn’t the same bowler who played in PSL 8 and got injured. I’ll look much better than that,” he further stated.

Ali Tareen Reflects on Ihsanullah’s Lost Potential

Ali Tareen, the owner of Multan Sultans, explained that Ihsanullah’s career suffered due to a poorly performed surgery. The resulting scarring has restricted his arm movement, making it impossible for him to regain his original bowling style.

Also Read: 3 Stars Mumbai Indians(MI) Might Bench in IPL 2025

Tareen felt let down, commenting that Ihsanullah, who had reached bowling speeds of 155 km/h, can only now operate at 130-135 km/h.

“It is a very sad development, but we got Ihsanullah consulted with a top surgeon, who gave us some really bad news, saying that ‘guys, I can do the surgery, but no matter what I do, there is so much scarring from his previously botched surgery that his arm will never become perfectly straight, and he will never be able to bowl in the same way because he does not have a straight arm,” Tareen said.

“So, it is so unfortunate that one person ruined a player’s career to hide his mistake. That’s why even now, he was bowling in domestic cricket at 130-135, which is a high pace, but he was our 155 bowler,” he added.

In international cricket, Ihsanullah has played 4 T20Is, taking 6 wickets, and has also featured in one ODI.

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.