Moeen Ali's 5 most beautiful clean-bowled wickets
Moeen Ali has been a phenomenal all-rounder for England since he made his debut across all three formats in 2014. Apart from being a handy batsman, Ali is a useful bowler who always chips in with wickets as and when the situation demands.
Ali, who recently came out of Test retirement to play in the 2023 Ashes, has 338 international wickets. Out of the said wickets, 197 have been in the longest format of the game, and Ali has been a genuine match-winner for England in the past. 54 of his 338 international wickets have been taken by dismissing the batsmen clean-bowled.
On the occasion of Ali's 36th birthday, here is a look at the off-spinner's five most beautiful, clean-bowled wickets:
#1 Cameroon Green - Edgbaston, 2023
"LOL"
#EnglandCricket | #Ashes https://t.co/hNHY3Owd0s
Ali has made a successful return to Test cricket in the 2023 Ashes. On day two of the first Test, Ali picked up two Australian wickets, and his second wicket of Cameron Green was an absolute beauty.
Ali pitched the ball outside the off-stump and lured Green to play a cover drive. The ball crashed into the stumps as there was a big gap between Green's bat and pad, and Green was bamboozled by a peach of the delivery bowled by Ali. The said dismissal of Green is one of the best for Ali in his Test career.
#2 Virat Kohli - Chennai, 2021
Virat Kohli was bowled for a duck by an absolute stunner bowled by Moeen Ali in a Test against India in Chennai in 2021. On a wicket that was assisting spinners, Ali's delivery turned square, went through the then-Indian skipper Virat Kohli, and crashed into his stumps.
The delivery stunned Kohli, and the star Indian batsman was dismissed without opening his account. This was the first time that Kohli was dismissed for a duck in Test cricket by a spinner.
#3 Virat Kohli - Pune, 2021
Virat Kohli’s dry days are on! 591 days and still no hundred #INDvENG
https://t.co/yNUoCujX1B
In an ODI against India in Pune in 2021, Ali once again bowled a beauty to clean bowl then-Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
Kohli was looking to cut a bowl that was bowled short by Moeen Ali. The ball turned more than Kohli expected and crashed onto his stumps. Kohli was dismissed for just seven, and Ali once again got the better of Virat Kohli by rattling his stumps.
#4 Ravindra Jadeja - Lord's, 2021
175/6 (lead by 150 runs)
BOWLED HIM! Moeen Ali strikes again 💥
Ravindra Jadeja beaten by spin and is clean bowled for 3.
🇮🇳 175/6 (lead by 150 runs)
#ENGvIND https://t.co/vWCGiBokNj
Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja are teammates at the Chennai Super Kings. However, the two have had their share of tough battles on the cricket field.
In India's second innings at Lord's in 2021, Ali got the better of the Indian all-rounder. Jadeja was on three when Ali bowled a beauty to get through Jadeja's defense. Jadeja had no clue about the delivery and was dismissed by his English all-rounder counterpart.
#5 Riley Rossouw - Southampton, 2022
Rilee Rossouw bowled by a top ball from Moeen Ali! #ENGvSA
Moeen Ali dismissing Riley Rossouw clean bowled was one of the few bright spots for England in the T20I at Southampton against South Africa last year. Rossouw was taking the English bowlers to the cleaners before Ali dismissed him.
Moeen Ali bowled round the wicket and drew Rossouw forward to get past his outside edge and dislodge his bails. Rossouvw was dismissed for 31.