Ihsanullah's injury treatment
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing criticism once again for its handling of injuries, particularly in fast bowlers. Recently, it came to light that Ihsanullah, a fast bowler for Pakistan and Multan Sultans, suffered a severe elbow injury due to a misdiagnosis by the PCB medical department.
Ihsanullah’s troubles began after his ODI debut in April 2023 when he was sidelined with an elbow injury. However, the PCB’s medical team, led by Dr. Sohail Saleem, didn’t initially recognize the severity of the injury. This led to a delay in proper treatment, and Ihsanullah’s condition worsened.
Dr. Saleem, who returned to the PCB in 2023, denied any mishandling of Ihsanullah’s case. He admitted to a delay in the diagnosis but insisted there was no mishandling. However, the delay in identifying the seriousness of the injury raised concerns.
According to Ali Tareen, the owner of Multan Sultans, the PCB medical team failed to detect an elbow fracture in the initial scans. It proceeded with treatment that included straightening Ihsanullah’s elbow. Despite ongoing complaints of pain, Ihsanullah continued with his training regimen, which included gym work and bowling, without confirmation of a more severe injury.
Subsequent scans revealed a fracture, which had worsened due to the stress from his workload. This injury could have ended his career or significantly impacted his performance as a pace bowler.
Dr. Saleem claimed he suspected the injury was more severe and ordered fresh tests, which confirmed the fracture. Despite surgery, Ihsanullah’s ability to straighten his elbow remained limited.
Additionally, there were issues between Ihsanullah and the PCB during his recovery period. He opted to leave the accommodation provided by the PCB and pursued unauthorized massage therapy, which hindered his progress.
Dr. Saleem defended the PCB’s efforts, stating they had invested a lot of resources in Ihsanullah’s recovery and arranged for his treatment in the UK. However, there were still concerns about his shoulder, which also went undiagnosed.
Ali Tareen revealed that Multan Sultans bore the expenses of Ihsanullah’s living expenses during his recovery and arranged for him to be assessed by a renowned surgeon in the UK. Following Tareen’s comments, the current PCB chairman expressed dissatisfaction with Ihsanullah’s treatment and decided that the PCB would cover the expenses for his recovery.
Earlier this week, Tareen revealed on Twitter that it was Multan Sultans, not the PCB, who paid for Ihsanullah’s living expenses during his recovery. He also mentioned that they would organize for Ihsanullah to go to England soon to see a top surgeon. The current PCB chairman, who wasn’t around for most of Ihsanullah’s injury period, had a talk with Tareen after those tweets. Apparently, he wasn’t happy with how the bowler was treated. Now, it’s expected that the PCB will cover the costs and make the arrangements for Ihsanullah’s recovery.
