Former Pakistan cricketer, Ramiz Raja, has expressed his disappointment over the exclusion of Ihsanullah from the playing XI against New Zealand. 

Raja, who has been vocal about Pakistan's team selection in the past, believes that Ihsanullah's impressive performance in the previous series against Afghanistan should have earned him a spot.

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"In my opinion, Pakistan should let Ihsanullah play. He has already proven himself in the Afghanistan series in UAE, and it's unlikely that he has suddenly fallen behind the line. Furthermore, he has done nothing wrong and possesses a unique talent for generating extra bounce, which gives him added comfort and confidence in a winning environment," he said. 

The former PCB chairman believes that the pacer's exclusion could hurt Pakistan's chances of winning the match.

"I fail to understand the logic behind keeping Ihsanullah out of the lineup and pushing him so far back that he may not even get a chance to play. He clearly possesses a talent that is visible to all, and therefore, I believe he should be given a fair opportunity to showcase his skills on the field," he concluded.

It is worth noting that the 20-year-old has made his PSL debut while representing Multan Sultans and was the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament after claiming 22 wickets.

His exceptional performance in the tournament gave him an opportunity to play for the national side against the Afghan team in a three-match T20I series at the Arabian soil. 

Ihsanullah took six wickets in the series and was the leading wicket-taker as well.