Ihsanullah Announces Retirement Following Snub in HBL PSL 10 Draft
“Not a single franchise contacted me,” says Ihsanullah.
News Desk
January 14, 2025
Pace sensation Ihsanullah Khan has announced his retirement from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after being overlooked in the HBL PSL 10 draft. The 22-year-old pacer expressed frustration over being ignored by all franchises, stating that he would no longer participate in the competition.
“I’ve been overlooked despite my past performances,” Ihsanullah said in a candid interview. “Not a single franchise contacted me. If you perform, these franchises should come after you, but no one reached out to me.”
Known for his blistering pace, Ihsanullah is determined to prove his critics wrong. “My goal is to make them chase after me,” he said. “I’ll bowl at a pace of 150-160 km/h. To those who said I’m a 130-135 km/h bowler, I’ll show them that I’m not the same player who participated in HBL PSL 8 and got injured. In just one and a half months, I’ll be much better than that.”
His frustration is further compounded by comments from Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Tareen, who questioned whether Ihsanullah could return to his peak form after undergoing elbow surgery. Tareen had expressed concerns that the pacer would not be able to bowl at his previous speed due to scarring from the surgery.
“It is very sad… no matter what I do, there’s so much scarring from his previous botched surgery that his arm will never become perfectly straight,” Tareen remarked. “He’ll never be able to bowl in the same way.”
Despite these remarks, Ihsanullah remains undeterred. His decision to retire from the PSL is not just a response to being excluded from the draft but also a reflection of the selfish nature of the cricketing world. “I’ve seen it myself—it’s a selfish world with selfish people,” he said, criticizing 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.”
Ihsanullah also expressed disappointment with Multan Sultans for failing to reach 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 retire from the PSL is a significant one, given his impressive 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 kept him out of action for some time. Recently, he made his comeback in the Champions T20 Cup, where he claimed two wickets in four matches.
Although he is retiring from the PSL, Ihsanullah remains committed to representing Pakistan at the international level. Having already made a mark in international cricket with one ODI and four T20Is, in which he took six wickets, he hopes to continue contributing to his national team’s success.