Watch: Long-injured Pakistan fast bowler Ihsanullah cleaned up on his second professional outing after spending 21 months on the sidelines, demolishing Mubasir Khan's stumps in the Champions T20 Cup.
Bowling just his third ball of the match for Dolphins in their T20 match against Panthers, Ihsanullah sent down a searing deliver to Mubasir. Banging the ball into the surface back of a length, Mubasir attempted to pull the ball into the leg side but was caught off guard by the length, the ball not being as short as he expected. Under-edging his attempted pull shot, the ball crashed into his stumps, taking out both middle and off and sending the bails flying.
Ihsanullah broke out into his trademark celebration, with one arm pointed in the air and the other drawn back in a Usain Bolt-like pose.
The young pacer has been out of professional cricket since April 2023, having played his first professional game after returning to fitness last week against Stallions. He picked up an elbow injury during Pakistan's series against New Zealand last year, but his recovery was mismanaged by the PCB. An independent report released earlier this year criticised delays in diagnosis of his injury and "inappropriate prescription of treatment".
Ihsanullah did not have his elbow pain treated or operated on appropriately, and never received formal rehabilitation for his injury. As a result of the report, PCB chief medical officer, Dr Sohail Saleem, resigned from his position. However, the report also criticised Ihsanullah for "non-compliance with the prescribed rehabilitation plan" despite the report also finding the rehabilitation plan was inadequate.
Multan Sultans owner, Ali Tareen, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year that Multan Sultans - who Ihsanullah represented in the PSL - had covered the costs of Ihsanullah's living expenses while he recovered from injury rather than the PCB, and that the franchise had arranged for him to travel to England for assessment.
After a breakout PSL in 2023, in which he reached speeds in excess of 150kph, Ihsanullah played four T20Is and one ODI for Pakistan, all in March and April 2023, before picking up his injury.
Watch: Ihsanullah cleans up Mubasir Khan
IHSANULLAH DEMOLISHING THE STUMPS!#BahriaTownChampionsCup #DiscoveringChampions #LakeCityPanthersvEngroDolphins pic.twitter.com/3zBWfKYnrE
— Bahria Town Champions Cup (@championscuppcb) December 16, 2024
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