The vice-captain of the England cricket team, Moeen Ali, has said that if a player like Naseem Shah, has no national commitments, there is no harm in allowing them to play in leagues.
In an exclusive conversation with a media outlet, Moeen Ali expressed his disappointment over Naseem Shah’s unavailability for The Hundred tournament. He mentioned that Naseem Shah is a good bowler and was their top pick for the team.
They had picked him with the expectation that he would perform brilliantly for them, but unfortunately, his absence disrupts the balance of the entire team. Moeen believes that if there are no other commitments, players should be allowed to play cricket.
Regarding whether he will be part of the England team for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year, Moeen said it’s too early to say. However, he believes that the English team can win the title.
He noted that the Champions Trophy is a different format, being a 50-over event, and it depends on how the team is selected, as they might choose young players. He said they would be ready if selected, but it’s okay if they are not.
Moeen mentioned that there is still a lot of time left to play cricket. He and Adil Rashid feel that if they can inspire one or two, or the next generation, they have done their job, regardless of how many runs they score or wickets they take.
In response to a question, Moeen Ali shared that his son, Abu Bakr, plays cricket, is 10 years old, and is very passionate about it. He is a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, and God willing, he will play for England one day.
It should be noted that Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah was not issued an NOC (No Objection Certificate) by the PCB for The Hundred League.
Naseem Shah had a contract with Birmingham Phoenix for The Hundred, and he had requested an NOC from the PCB. However, the board did not issue the NOC under workload management considerations.
It is noteworthy that Naseem Shah was included in the most expensive category of The Hundred League, with a contract worth £125,000, which is approximately 45 million Pakistani rupees.
