"I always kept an eye on the Pakistani team" - Moeen Ali on thoughts of representing Pakistan in international cricket
Veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali has suggested that he had an idea of representing England from a tender age despite having Pakistani roots. However, the spin-bowling all-rounder admitted his likeness towards the Pakistani team.
Although Moeen was born in Birmingham, his grandfather migrated to England from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It was in 2005 that the veteran made his first-class debut for Warwickshire and is now a mainstay in England for white-ball cricket.
Moeen revealed that he had always England to do well as a youngster and supported them to bits. As quoted by Sky Sports, the 36-year-old stated:
"When I was younger I wouldn’t say I supported Pakistan but I always kept an eye on the Pakistani team because that’s what all my uncles did and my family did. But I had this thing inside me that I really did support England and wanted England to do well. And I don’t know if it’s because I had the ambition to play for England."
The veteran recalled getting nervous for being viewed as an extremist and elaborated:
"I was young and I didn’t want people to think - even my own family - that I was extreme or becoming an extremist. Because at that time that’s all people were talking about - Muslims being extreme and all that."
The Warwickshire all-rounder remembered the precious advice advice from Ravi Bopara, the former England cricketer. He added:
"I was given a piece of advice about nine years ago by Ravi Bopara. He said to me ‘be yourself, don’t try and fit in, if they like you they like you, if they don’t like you, that’s their problem. I just thought that was the best advice someone could give."
Fast forward to the present, the all-rounder is a one-time Ashes winner and has won the World Cup twice with England in different formats. The off-spinner's role was critical in helping England draw the recent Ashes series on home soil.
"Muhammad Ali was a massive inspiration for me" - Moeen Ali
Moeen went on to credit late boxing champion Muhammad Ali and former Proteas batter Hashim Amla for braving up to keep a beard. He added:
"Muhammad Ali was a massive inspiration for me because of his upbringing and becoming a Muslim. And then Hashim Amla as a cricketer in South Africa, having a big beard. I was like ‘well if he can do it why can’t I do it?’ It’s what I wanted to do but I was a little bit afraid at the time."
The left-handed is part of England's 2023 World Cup squad, but did not play their second game on Tuesday.