KARACHI, Pakistan — Allrounder
Moeen Ali said Sunday that captaining England against
Pakistan — where his family have roots — was a “huge and proud moment”.
اضافة اعلان
England are on
their first tour of
Pakistan in 17 years, and will play seven Twenty20s. The
first T20 will be played in Karachi on Tuesday.
Captain Jos Buttler
has traveled with the squad but is nursing a calf injury, with Ali the stand-in
skipper.
Birmingham-born Ali
has captained England in T20s before but said leading the side on this tour was
special.
“Obviously with my
roots being from here and to lead England in such a big series, a historic
series is a huge and proud moment,” Ali told reporters.
“My mum and dad, my
friends and my family and community and everybody who I feel I represent is
happy for me,” he added.
“Leading and
playing for England anywhere and in any game is a huge honor.”
Ali’s grandfather
was from Mirpur in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and he spent some years of
his childhood there.
There are fears
Buttler will miss the Pakistan series entirely, after suffering an injury
during The Hundred tournament last month.
“I am not sure
(when Buttler will play), he is a bit more careful and maybe at the back end of
the tour he will play one or two games but it will depend on his progress,” Ali
said.
“We want him fully
fit for the World Cup so we will not risk anything.”
England are also
without Liam Livingstone and Chris Jordan as they recover from ankle and finger
injuries respectively.
Test captain Ben
Stokes has been rested ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins in Australia
next month.
Ali said despite
the absences, England’s young side should be not underestimated, describing it
as “a very good white-ball side”.
The first four T20s
of the series will be played in Karachi, with Lahore hosting the remaining
three. The series will conclude on October 2.
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