Moeen commits to Bangladesh tour despite security concerns
REUTERS - England's Moeen Ali has publicly committed to joining the touring party to Bangladesh should he be selected, despite security concerns ahead of the five-week tour.
One-day captain Eoin Morgan acknowledged on Friday he was undecided about whether he would participate over security worries following the attack by gunmen on a cafe in Dhaka in July in which 22 people were killed.
An English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) delegation recently visited Bangladesh to conduct a risk assessment and announced on Aug. 25 that the tour would go ahead, and while the touring squad has not been named, it remains to be seen whether other players will follow Moeen's lead.
"If selected, I'll definitely go," Moeen told journalists on Saturday. "I'm pretty happy with everything and really looking forward to it.
"Everyone's different and has their own views on things," he added, "and as a team, you back others' decisions.
"It's up to the individual. There's no pressure on anyone, it's up to that person and how he feels."
England are due to arrive in Bangladesh on Sept. 30 for three one-day internationals and two tests.
Australia pulled out of their tour of Bangladesh in 2015 over security concerns and did not compete in the under-19 World Cup in the south Asian country earlier this season for the same reason.
"My view is you're not safe anywhere these days," Worcestershire's Moeen said. "I think you can be anywhere and still not be safe. I totally understand, and I back every decision people make."
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has also expressed confidence in the ECB's advice but stopped short of committing to the tour.
"I've not made a 100 percent decision," he told journalists on Friday. "The world at the moment is not necessarily the safest place, that's in England, that's in Australia, South Africa, in Bangladesh.
"You've got to ask questions because, if you don't, you don't have peace of mind."
(Reporting by Ed Dove; Editing by Rex Gowar)