Star England all-rounder Moeen Ali on Saturday, September 7 announced retirement from international cricket. The decision from the veteran all-rounder comes after he was dropped from the white-balls squads for the upcoming home series against Australia. Moreover, this is the third time that Ali has called down curtains to his cricketing career.
Notably, Ali retired twice from Test cricket, but played for England in both the ODI World Cup 2023 in India and the T20 World Cup 2024 in June in the USA and West Indies. The 37-year-old announced his decision while speaking to Nasser Hussain on the Daily Mail.
Playing for England were the best days of my life: Moeen Ali
Speaking with Nasser Hussain on the Daily Mail, Moeen Ali expressed that playing for England were the best days for him. He accepted that he could continue to play for The Three Lions, but it is time for the “team to evolve into another cycle”.
“Playing for England were the best days of my life. I could hold on and try to play for England again, but I know in reality I won’t. Even retiring, I don’t feel it’s because I’m not good enough – I still feel I can play. But I get how things are, and the team needs to evolve into another cycle. It’s about being real to myself,” Moeen said, in an exclusive interview with Mail Sport columnist Nasser Hussain.
Guyana Amazon Warriors sign Moeen Ali as Saim Ayub’s replacement
England all-rounder however retired from international cricket, he will continue to feature in T20 franchise cricket as he was signed by the defending champions in Guyana Amazon Warriors. Ali will begin his maiden stint in the Caribbean premier League (CPL) in the ongoing edition as he was roped in as Saim Ayub’s replacement.
Moreover, Moeen Ali’s availability in CPL 2024 is subject to Birmingham Bears’ campaign in the Vitality T20 Blast. If Bears in the quarterfinals against Gloucestershire, they will progress into the Finals, which is scheduled to take place on September 14. Until Ali joins the Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL, New Zealand opener, Tim Robinson has been signed as a temporary replacement.