Ian Bishop: “Ihsanullah definitely”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Ian Bishop, the former West Indies fast bowler, feels Pakistan speedster Ihsanullah is definitely ready for international cricket.
Ihsanullah is one of the brightest prospects in the country and quickly became a fan favourite during the 2023 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he played for the Multan Sultans.
In PSL 8, the 20-year-old from Matta was the second-highest wicket-taker as he claimed 22 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 15.77 and an economy rate of 7.59.
His performance captured the attention of the national selectors, who were quick to include him in the Pakistan team for the limited overs series against Afghanistan and New Zealand.
Having seen what the electrifying youngster can do, Bishop wants him to get plenty more opportunities in the future.
“Ihsanullah definitely,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ihsanullah wasn’t picked for Pakistan’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka or their three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
He also wasn’t part of the squad for the Asia Cup, where the men in green beat Nepal by 238 runs, shared one point apiece with India after their match was rained off, and defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets.
Following a strong start, Pakistan lost to India by 228 runs and Sri Lanka by two wickets via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method (DLS) method, which led to them missing out on the Asia Cup final and being eliminated from the tournament.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir