England all-rounder Moeen Ali has come out in support of Pakistani cricketers, warning that players would raise their voice if they felt that participants in The Hundred were being deliberately overlooked by franchise owners on the basis of nationality.
In an interview, Moeen said ignoring Pakistani players solely because of their nationality would be deeply disappointing and unacceptable in Britain. He expressed confidence that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would keep a close watch on the matter.
“I don’t think such discrimination can happen in the UK, but we will have to wait and see,” he said, adding that if players sensed discriminatory behaviour by team owners, a group of cricketers would collectively speak out.
He stressed that any player concerned about such issues regardless of whether they have Pakistani roots should raise their voice. “It’s still early days and I haven’t spoken to many people yet, but I believe most players would share the same view,” he remarked.
Moeen acknowledged that it is difficult to prove whether a player has been ignored because of background, but said that if Pakistani cricketers consistently go unpicked over several years, the pattern would become clear.
He suggested that such matters have been ongoing for some time and now require resolution, terming any discrimination against specific individuals as regrettable. He also expressed surprise that the issue is not widely discussed at higher levels, possibly because players fear repercussions that could affect their careers.
Referring to strained relations between India and Bangladesh, Moeen cautioned that Bangladeshi players could also face similar treatment in certain circumstances.
He admitted that speaking openly is not easy for many players, particularly younger ones whose careers could be impacted, as franchise owners are involved in leagues across the world. “For senior players like me, it is less of a concern,” he added.
Moeen further observed that when teams in The Hundred were sold last year, the ECB may not have fully considered this aspect, as such thinking is not common in England.
Separately, he expressed the desire to see Pakistan and India play Test matches at a neutral venue in England, saying such contests would be magnificent for Test cricket and would generate extraordinary crowds and excitement.
