Ihsanullah announces retirement from PSL 10 after being overlooked in Draft

Pakistan’s pace sensation, Ihsanullah, has announced his retirement from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) following his exclusion from the PSL 10 draft.

The 22-year-old fast bowler expressed his anger and disappointment at being snubbed, vowing to boycott the competition altogether.

In an emotional interview, Ihsanullah revealed his frustration, stating that despite his impressive performances in previous seasons, no PSL franchise reached out to him. "Not a single franchise contacted me," he said.

The pacer, known for his raw speed, further expressed his ambition to prove his critics wrong. “If you perform, franchises will come after you.

My goal is to make them chase after me,” he said. “I’ll bowl at a pace of 150-160 km/h, and those who’ve said I’m a 130-135 bowler will see a different me. I’ll show them I’m not the same bowler who played in PSL 8 and got injured. I’ll look much better than that.”

Ihsanullah’s comments come after Multan Sultans' owner, Ali Tareen, expressed concerns over the pacer’s future, claiming that an elbow surgery had left permanent scarring, which would prevent Ihsanullah from bowling at his previous speeds.

Tareen said, “We consulted a top surgeon, and he told us that despite the surgery, Ihsanullah’s arm would never be straight again, meaning he wouldn’t bowl the same way. It’s a sad situation, especially because one mistake has jeopardized his career.”

Tareen added that despite still bowling at 130-135 km/h, Ihsanullah had once been capable of hitting 155 km/h.

When asked about his relationship with Ali Tareen and Multan Sultans, Ihsanullah revealed that the franchise had never reached out to him, further deepening his feelings of neglect. "No one contacted me; you know this world is selfish. When someone finds another player, they go with them. He [Ali Tareen] used to support my talent,” he added.

Ihsanullah had been one of the standout performers in PSL 8, taking 22 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 15.77 and an economy rate of 7.59. Despite an elbow injury sustained during Pakistan’s home ODI series against New Zealand in April 2023, he has returned to competitive cricket, recently playing in the Champions T20 Cup, where he took two wickets in four matches.