Multan Sultans Owner Blames Botched Surgery for Ruining Their Fast Bowler’s Career

Multan Sultans owner, Ali Jahangir Tareen has stated that emerging fast bowler Ihsanullah may never bowl with the same pace and effectiveness following a “botched” surgery on his right elbow.

During a recent interview, Tareen shed light on the injury that has affected the talented pacer since April 2023. Ihsanullah, who made waves in the PSL 2023 season with his fiery pace and wicket-taking prowess, has struggled to regain his former intensity after undergoing surgery.

Ihsanullah’s meteoric rise came during PSL 2023, where he emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker, claiming 22 scalps for the Multan Sultans. Known for consistently bowling at speeds around 150 km/h, the 20-year-old was hailed as a future star for Pakistan cricket.

However, his promising career hit a major roadblock due to an elbow injury sustained during Pakistan’s home ODI series against New Zealand in April 2023. Tareen has now revealed that Ihsanullah’s recovery process was mishandled, leading to permanent limitations in his bowling action.

Tareen’s Shocking Revelation

Ali Jahangir Tareen expressed his disappointment over the handling of Ihsanullah’s injury and surgery. Speaking candidly, he said:

It is a very sad development. We consulted a top surgeon, who delivered the bad news. He said, ‘I can do the surgery, but no matter what I do, there’s so much scarring from the previous botched procedure that his arm will never become perfectly straight. He will never be able to bowl in the same way because his arm doesn’t have a straight trajectory anymore.’

Tareen pointed fingers at the previous mishandling of the injury, blaming negligence for the drastic impact on Ihsanullah’s career. “It’s unfortunate that one person’s mistake has essentially ruined a young player’s career,” he added.

Tareen further explained that the injury has significantly affected Ihsanullah’s pace. “That’s why even now, he was bowling in domestic cricket at 130-135 km/h, which is still high pace, but this was a bowler who could deliver 155 km/h consistently. It’s a big loss for us and for Pakistan cricket.”

Ihsanullah recently made his return to competitive cricket during the Champions T20 Cup, where he played four matches and picked up two wickets. While it marked an encouraging step forward, the difference in his pace and effectiveness was evident.

The right-arm pacer has represented Pakistan in one ODI and four T20Is so far. However, questions remain about whether he will ever regain the sharpness and explosiveness that defined his PSL performances.