Fiery Pakistani pacer Ihsanullah says aiming for fastest PSL delivery ever

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Updated 10 March 2023
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Fiery Pakistani pacer Ihsanullah says aiming for fastest PSL delivery ever

  • With 18 wickets from 8 matches so far, Ihsanullah is the leading wicket-taker of this year’s PSL
  • Ihsanullah broke the record for the fastest PSL spell ever, has also bowled the fastest PSL 8 ball

ISLAMABAD: Ihsanullah, Pakistan’s latest pace sensation and the leading wicket-taker in this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) 8th edition, on Thursday expressed his ambition to bowl the fastest-ever delivery in the PSL, hitting the 160-kph mark.

The PSL has served as a launching pad for some of Pakistan’s most remarkable T20 cricket stars such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Zaman Khan, to name a few.

While this year’s PSL has unearthed a host of batting talents such as Saim Ayub, Tayyab Tahir, and Haseebullah Khan, 20-year-old fast bowler Ihsanullah is arguably the most exciting PSL 8 discovery so far.

For one, the Multan Sultans’ pacer has clocked in the fastest delivery in PSL8 so far, at 152.7kph. In a tournament featuring the likes of Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Rauf, and Afridi, that is no easy feat.

On the other hand, he’s also bowled the fastest four-over bowling spell in PSL history, clocking in an average speed of 144.37kph in the Sultans’ match against Quetta Gladiators on February 15. He broke Rauf’s previous fastest spell record of 144.16kph against Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 7.

With an impressive 18 wickets from 8 matches, Ihsanullah is also this year’s leading PSL wicket-taker so far. But the lanky 6ft 4 pacer isn’t quite done yet and there’s one other record he wants to break.

“As you know, I have bowled the fastest delivery in this year’s PSL till now, 152.7 [kph] or something,” Ihsanullah told Arab News in an exclusive interview.

“God willing, I will try to bowl the fastest delivery of this year’s PSL, in fact, bowl the fastest delivery of all PSLs that have taken place till now.”

Lahore Qalandars pacer Rauf bowled the fastest PSL ball last year, when he bowled a delivery at 153.8kph.

“God willing, I will hit the 160kph mark,” he added.

Born in Arkot village in northwest Pakistan’s Swat Valley, Ihsanullah impressed scouts at the Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive talent program last year.

He was recommended to three PSL franchises, out of which Sultans were the ones to pick him in the PSL 2022. Ihsanullah got injured after playing in his second PSL match against Lahore Qalandars and was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

However, it was this year that the bowler made a big splash. After taking two wickets in the PSL 8 opener against the Qalandars, Ihsanullah demolished Quetta Gladiators by taking five wickets on February 15 and giving away only 12 runs.

Known for his trademark “archer celebration” (going down on one knee to shoot an imaginary arrow from a bow“) after taking a wicket, Ihsanullah says bowling fast is a God-given ability.

“When I first came here [to play in the PSL], I bowled a delivery at 139[kph] in PSL 7,” he said, adding that he worked with the Sultans’ bowling coaches and management to increase his pace. 

“Thank God, you can see my pace now. I am touching 150kph in every match,” he added.

Ihsanullah spoke highly of Sultans’ skipper Muhammad Rizwan, saying that the right-handed opening batter never scolds his teammates when they make mistakes on the field.

 

 

“He’s never scolded me, thank God, and has always appreciated me and it was because of him that I took the five wickets [against Quetta Gladiators] that day,” Ihsanullah said.

While his fiery pace may instill fear into the hearts of batters who face him, Ihsanullah insists he isn’t afraid of any batter.

“I don’t consider any batsman dangerous because I work on the plan given to me by my coaches and the management,” he said.


Ben Griffin, Matti Schmid share lead after going low at Charles Schwab

Updated 24 May 2025
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Ben Griffin, Matti Schmid share lead after going low at Charles Schwab

  • Griffin set the early pace by zipping around the course with eight birdies and one bogey

Ben Griffin and Germany’s Matti Schmid share the 36-hole lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge after they each posted 7-under-par rounds of 63 on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Griffin and Schmid stand at 11-under 129 through two rounds at Colonial Country Club. They take a two-shot lead into the weekend over John Pak (68), who was the first-round leader.
Chris Gotterup had a bogey-free 65 to move to fourth place at 8 under, and Akshay Bhatia (66) is tied for fifth at 7 under with Japan’s Ryo Hizatsune (67).
Griffin set the early pace by zipping around the course with eight birdies and one bogey, capped by a near-eagle at his final hole, the par-4 ninth. Griffin’s approach shot bounced right over the hole and spun back to 18 inches for his final birdie.
Schmid climbed to 11 under later in the day as he turned in a bogey-free card with seven birdies. Schmid has never won on the PGA Tour, while Griffin’s only win came at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event last month with Andrew Novak.
Rickie Fowler is in the mix after shooting a 64 Friday. Fowler started on the back nine and birdied six holes for a 29 before cooling off on the front.
He’s tied at 6 under with Doug Ghim (65), Brice Garnett (67), J.J. Spaun (68), Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo (66) and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (67).
Scottie Scheffler (71) is down the leaderboard at 1 under par, and Jordan Spieth (71) made the cut on the number at even par after birdieing his penultimate hole.
Notable names who did not make the weekend included Mackenzie Hughes of Canada (1 over), Aaron Rai of England (1 over), defending champion Davis Riley (2 over), Daniel Berger (2 over) and PGA teaching professional Michael Block (3 over).


Three clubs fighting relegation in SPL Roshn League’s final round

Updated 23 May 2025
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Three clubs fighting relegation in SPL Roshn League’s final round

  • Two out of the three clubs — Al-Wehda, Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah — will be relegated to join Al-Raed
  • Al-Wehda will stay in the league if they win or draw against Al-Ettifaq in Dammam

RIYADH: Three clubs — Al-Wehda, Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah — will be fighting relegation during the Saudi Pro League (Roshn League) final round on Monday with matches being played simultaneously.

Two out of the three clubs will join Al-Raed, who have already been relegated to the first division. As things stand, Al-Wehda is in 15th place with 33 points, Al-Akhdood is in 16th place with 31 points and Al-Orobah is in 17th place with 30 points.

Al-Wehda will stay in the league if they win or draw against Al-Ettifaq in Dammam. A loss means they will need both Al-Akhdood and Al-Orobah to also lose or draw.

Al-Akhdood must beat Al-Khaleej and hope that Al-Wehda lose, as that would keep Al-Akhdood in the SPL for another new season.

Al-Orobah has the most difficult task. They need to beat Al-Taawoun in Al-Jouf and then hope that both Al-Wehda and Al-Akhdood lose. If that happens, Al-Orobah will move above Al-Akhdood in points and tie with Al-Wehda.

In that case, Al-Orobah would survive because they have a better head-to-head record against Al-Wehda — losing the first match 2–1 but winning the second 4–2.


Sports City Stadium in Lebanon springs back to life after years of disuse

Updated 23 May 2025
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Sports City Stadium in Lebanon springs back to life after years of disuse

  • Several leading political figures watch Beirut derby between Premier League football teams Nejmeh and Al-Ansar, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
  • The reopening of the stadium sends ‘message to athletes that your dreams are safe,’ says sports minister

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium sprang back to life on Friday after five years of disuse, as it hosted a Beirut derby match between Lebanese Premier League football teams Nejmeh and Al-Ansar.

Several leading political figures and other officials were among the crowd watching the game, which took place under the patronage of President Joseph Aoun and ended in a 1-1 draw.

One of them was Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who gave the signal to kick off the match at 4.45 p.m. local time. Others included Nora Bayrakdarian, minister of youth and sports; MP Wadah Al-Sadek; MP Nabil Badr, who is is also the president of Al-Ansar; and Hachem Haidar, president of the Lebanese Football Association. Their presence was seen as a clear indication of the new government’s commitment to engagement with and support for sports.

Bayrakdarian said of the renovated stadium, which was severely damaged in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion: “This is a unifying national symbol that has hosted international and national matches, uniting the Lebanese under one banner, far removed from divisions.”

The repair and reopening of the multiuse venue sends a “message to athletes that your dreams are safe, and to young people that you are a priority,” she added.

Ibrahim Zaazaa, a former Nejmeh player and coach, told Arab News: “This is an unprecedented achievement for Lebanese football. I hope such initiatives are applied across all other stadiums. It’s a great step for sports in general and football in particular.”

He thanked sporting and administrative authorities for their hard work to renovate and reopen the stadium at a time “when Lebanese football needs a distinguished renaissance to restore its glitziness and reputation,” in particular “through the most prominent competitors in the history of Lebanese football, Nejmeh and Al-Ansar.”

Abdel Fattah Chehab, a former player for Al-Ansar and the Lebanese national team, said the reopening of the stadium was a “step forward after years of abandonment.”

He called for similar projects to renovate and refurbish all stadiums in the country added: “I am 100 percent sure that such initiatives are important to develop the standard of Lebanese footballers.

“The fact that the two powerhouses (with the biggest fan bases) are the ones playing such an important game in this giant sporting complex following the major overhaul … will benefit football and footballers.”

Toufic Al-Turk, a fan of Nejmeh, said: “It is a great moment to see Beirut’s Sports City Stadium reopen and host the special derby between Nejmeh and Al-Ansar. This brings new energy to Lebanese football and gives a strong push to the whole sporting scene in Lebanon.”

Thousands of supporters of both clubs attended the match. Political chants could be heard coming from a small section of the fans.

In a message posted on social media platform X after the game, Prime Minister Salam said: “It was with great pleasure that I participated in bringing life back to Camille Chamoun Sports City, where sporting activities once again embody the spirit of unity and brotherhood among all.

“Sports are not just competition; they are a bridge that unites people of all affiliations, removing barriers and strengthening bonds of love and peace.”

Sports City Stadium, which has a capacity of 49,500 and is mostly used for football matches, was built in 1957 but completely destroyed during the 1982 invasion by Israel. Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri initiated a project to rebuild it in preparation to host the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. The rebuilt venue also hosted the 1997 Pan Arab Games, the 1999 Arab Athletics Championship and, in April 2017, a Barcelona Legends vs. Real Madrid Legends football match. On Feb. 23 this year it was used for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.


Chicago Bulls legend Toni Kukoc hails ‘phenomenal’ move to bring EuroLeague Final Four to Abu Dhabi 

Updated 23 May 2025
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Chicago Bulls legend Toni Kukoc hails ‘phenomenal’ move to bring EuroLeague Final Four to Abu Dhabi 

  • Only second time in EuroLeague history the Final Four will be taking place outside of Europe

ABU DHABI: On the 25th anniversary edition of the EuroLeague, the organization is widening its horizons by staging its Final Four in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

This is just the second time in EuroLeague history that the Final Four will be taking place outside of Europe, and given the games in the UAE capital have already sold out, it promises to be an unforgettable showcase of elite basketball.

The fight for European basketball’s ultimate prize tips-off at Etihad Arena on Friday evening, with Fenerbahce taking on defending champions Panathinaikos (7 p.m. local time), before Olympiacos square off with Monaco (10 p.m.).

Three-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP and three-time NBA champion Toni Kukoc is in town promoting the event, and he kicked-off his Friday with a friendly round of golf with UAE pro Ismail Sharif at Yas Acres Golf and Country Club.

Arab News caught up with the Croatian Chicago Bulls legend to discuss the EuroLeague’s debut in Abu Dhabi, his thoughts on the globalization of the game of basketball, and lots more.

Welcome back to Abu Dhabi. What do you think it means for the EuroLeague to take this unprecedented step and stage its Final Four in the Gulf region for the first time?

Like every other sport, you can’t call it European, you can’t mention it as a national thing. Every sport is global, so I think it’s great for the fans and you have fans all over the world. And for them to have a chance to see their favorite guys live and then get to the games and maybe get the chance to talk to them, get autographs and then take pictures, I think it’s awesome. I think it’s something special.

In my days, I was fortunate enough to play all over the world and you don’t actually know how many fans you have around the world until you meet them. And playing for the Bulls for a long time, we had this one wall that they kept letters and pictures from around the world and it would really be amazing to see pictures from like Tibet or somewhere in Africa or somewhere in Russia or Australia being a Bulls fan.

So for them to get the chance to maybe see us play somewhere close to them was phenomenal. And I think it’s the same thing here. I don’t see why would (a) European League be just bound to be played over there if they have a chance to play here.

How do you see this globalization of basketball has impacted the sport?

Talking centuries ago back, you had maybe three or four powerhouses that you knew, they’re going to be in the semifinals and finals of the Olympics, of the World Championships, and things like that. But nowadays, if a national team has a good generation, they have a chance to win Olympics, to play in the finals of the World Championships. Which we saw in Paris last year. (The) France team almost beat (the) US. Serbia almost beat (the) US. So basketball got much closer, much better everywhere.

And I think it’s great for the game of basketball. It’s great for the fans. And it’s just a testament that a lot of guys are going to the NBA and trying to see how good they are.

When I went there, very few of us went there and we didn’t know if we’re going to be good enough to make it. Now people go there with the idea that they can be the MVPs, they can win championships, they can have a main role in their teams. So basketball just got way better.

You went from playing for Benetton Treviso in Italy to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA back in 1993. Was it easy for you to feel like you belonged there when you first arrived in the US?

We talked about that with the Yugoslavian national team, because a bunch of us, five, maybe six of us, got drafted by really good basketball teams.

So we’re talking the teams that were deep in the playoffs, the teams that were winning championships. Dino (Radja) was drafted by the Boston Celtics. Drazen (Petrovic) was drafted by Portland.

Vlade (Divac) was drafted by the (Los Angeles) Lakers. I was drafted by the Bulls. But we knew, because we played a few games against US junior teams during the World Games. So we had a chance to play against ... Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Gary Payton, the guys that became a future of the NBA, All-Stars, Hall-of-Famers. So comparing to our age, we knew that we were good enough. But you never know.

So once, let’s say, we broke that barrier and we went there and started playing for the teams and getting the minutes and getting into starting lineups and all that, we proved that the basketball is played everywhere, that everybody can play in the NBA.

Right now, guys are going over there, they get accepted right away, with the knowledge of how good of a player they are.

When I went to the Bulls, nobody but maybe Jerry Krause and one scout saw me and talked to me and then saw me play. Right now, you had a chance, for Luka Doncic, to see him as a 15-year-old because you can turn on YouTube and see all his games. So the other guys, and they have a better understanding (of) how good these players are. So they give them a chance right away as soon as they get there.

You were on a superstar Bulls team that had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. You played a selfless brand of basketball, and came off the bench to save the day in whichever role was needed on the day. You were extremely successful at that.

When you see now how there are big teams where the central star is European, do you imagine if you were playing now, would you have played a different style of basketball?  

Well, the style did change. I was maybe one of the first ones to do that style of play, the tall guy that can shoot threes, that can play outside. I learned actually to play a post up position in the NBA because my position was occupied by two not bad players, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. So I needed, in order to get my minutes, playing minutes, I had to learn how to play other positions.

But once I did that, it was really easy to implement me in because I can play any of five positions. So it’s perfect for the guys coming from Europe because the basketball is taught that way in Europe, that regardless of your height, you need to learn fundamentals of the game. The shoot, pass, dribble, play inside, outside.

I said that yesterday in some interview, if you can pick a team that you can have a point guard on each position, I would probably have Tony Parker being a point guard playmaker, then Luka Doncic or Drazen Petrovic, for that matter, who is a two-guard playmaker. Maybe myself, maybe Giannis Antetokounmpo playing a point guard three position. Then you have Pau Gasol or Dirk Nowitzki, the guys that can play point guard four position. And obviously, you can have Nikola Jokic or maybe Sabonis that can play a five position point guard. And I don’t know who can beat a team like that.

That’s why I say that the Bulls, at the time, it was my favorite and it still is my favorite offense, the triangle offense, because five guys can go everywhere on a court. They just have to know and be together and be synchronized. But especially when you get Michael, Scottie, Dennis, (Ron) Harper, myself, Steve (Kerr), Luke (Longley), when you have guys that understand and appreciate each other and they know their individual roles in a team, it was a pleasure to play.

No one has gone back-to-back in the NBA for a while now, since the (Golden State) Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and I’m just wondering if you look at the Chicago team you played on, the way you guys were able to dominate year after year; if you put them in today’s game, do you think they could dominate?

It’s hard. I mean, it’s hard because every year you have new young guys coming in. Maybe it’s easier these days to create a team that three guys want to play together, and they demand trades and they say, I just want to go here or I don’t want to go there.

And then, let’s say right now, there’s a chance, for example, that LeBron leaves or stays, but Lakers get Jokic or Antetokounmpo, or both of them. Who’s going to beat that team? I mean, who has a chance to beat that team? Or, for example, Jokic goes to OKC (Oklahoma City Thunder). Who’s going to beat that team?

But at the same time, you have all these young guys, new guys. Again, if you bring Jokic to San Antonio and you put him with Victor Wembanyama, who’s going to beat that team? There are so many options, so many chances. I’m just glad that basketball is on that level, that it’s appreciated, that it’s nice to watch.

The players have been amazing. People were talking about how bad the season is, how the basketball is not really watchable, this and that. But whoever watches this year’s playoffs, has got to be more than happy with the games they saw.

Where do you think Giannis (Antetokounmpo) will end up if he leaves the Bucks?

I hope they all go to the Bulls. I would really, really love all of them to come to the Bulls.

I’m a part of the Bulls. I shouldn’t probably say that because I work for the Bulls, but it would be nice to see great basketball.


All eyes on Saudi Yelo League as promotion playoff drama begins

Updated 23 May 2025
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All eyes on Saudi Yelo League as promotion playoff drama begins

  • With Neom and Al-Najma already sealing their top-flight status via automatic promotion, four other clubs are set to battle for the third and final slot

RIYADH: The inaugural Yelo League playoffs kick off on Friday, bringing fresh excitement to the race for promotion to the Saudi Pro League.

With Neom and Al-Najma already sealing their top-flight status via automatic promotion, four other clubs are set to battle for the third and final slot in this newly introduced post-season format.

Al-Hazm, Al-Adalah, Al-Bukayriyah and Al-Tai have earned their playoff places after finishing third, fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively in the season standings.

Al-Tai stepped in for fourth-placed Al-Jabalain, who were disqualified for failing to meet the Roshn League’s club licensing criteria.

Al-Adalah face Al-Bukayriyah in Al-Ahsa, while Al-Hazm host Al-Tai in Al-Rass.

Both Al-Hazm and Al-Tai are aiming for immediate redemption, hoping to bounce straight back up to the SPL after suffering relegation at the end of the 2023–24 campaign.