BIRMINGHAM: England all-rounder Moeen Ali says opening the bowling for his team in the T20 World Cup 2024 is an option and he is ready to do it.
He was talking to the press after England beat Pakistan by 23 runs in the second T20I of the four-match series in Birmingham.
England were put into bat by Pakistan captain Babar Azam after winning the toss. The hosts set a target of 184 runs for the visitors which was a par score at this ground.
But Green Shirts were stunned by local boy Moeen when he struck on the third ball of the innings and got the prized wicket of Mohammad Rizwan while opening the blowing for England.
Later on, he got the all-important wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam, denting the hopes of the visitors badly to win the game. He ended up with the figures of 2 for 26 in 4 overs.
Responding to a question in the post-match presser about whether he will open the bowling for England in the Caribbean during the World Cup as wickets are traditionally slower and help spinners Moeen said that it is an option and he’s ready if enquired by time.
“To open the bowling in the World Cup is going to be an option but we also have Will Jacks who can bowl in the powerplay too so we can mix it up as much as we can. When you have three seamers then these option has to be there. We have four spinners in the team and if the wickets are spinning there then it’s an option to bowl in the power play."
England are the defending champions of the T20 World Cup and Moeen vowed not to repeat the mistakes which his team made in the ODI cricket World Cup in India last year.
“We have learnt a lot from the mistakes we made in the ODI World Cup and skipper Jos and management don’t want to do it again. You can’t just turn up in the World Cup and think you gonna win games. World Cup is different pressure but we have been there before and would like to do it again and guys are really looking forward to it."
Stressing upon winning the game and what it means for the team's preparations for the all-important World Cup, Moeen said that it’s important to win the remaining two games too before they go into the big tournament.
“It’s important to start winning and as not many games left to play. There are only a couple more games and we must win. The guys are all contributing and do well and get some form. The strategy is to be calculated and be really smart. We had a plan and the bowlers were outstanding today, they all picked up wickets but it was just the manner and the plan we were bowling."
“It was a brilliant day as it was the first game after some time and to beat a very good side was very pleasing. Everybody contributed at some point so good team performance," Moeen added further.
Praising the batting power of Buttler, Moeen said that without a doubt he is one of the best players in white ball cricket in the world.
“Jos has become an unbelievable player probably one of the best in the world. It’s not just big shots but it’s how smart he can be when batting and how calculated he can be even on a ground like this which has one big side. He hits the balls into the gaps for fours. Normal players like myself will try to hit those out of the ground and get out caught on the boundary but he doesn’t seem to do that too much that’s why he’s the best."
Another positive outcome for England apart from winning the game was fast bowler Jofra Atcher who finally made a comeback. Archer who has been out of action for more than a year was named in England’s squad for the World Cup without even playing any competitive cricket.
“It was amazing to see him (Jofra Archer) back and it’s great for our side. We all know how good he is but even after the first over I’m sure he was a bit nervous. He comes across as quite cool at times but he was nervous. It’s amazing to have him back and go through the game," he added.
The crowd at Edgbaston has often been called England’s 12th man but this phenomenon changes drastically when Pakistan plays at this ground. This was the first time Pakistan and England were playing a T20 game at this venue and the match was sold out months ago.
“I might be biased but it’s (Edgbaston) an amazing place to play cricket. For me, it’s the best place to play in the world as the conditions are also good. The wicket is not always flat so the bowlers are in the game too. As a player, it’s an honour and a privilege to play in front of such a crowd," he concluded.
- Moeen Ali