Fans were surprised when the news broke that Moeen Ali would be playing for Sharjah Warriors. The twisted aspect of this headline was that SA20 was clashing with the ILT20 and the England all-rounder was said to be a part of both tournaments.
Finally, the mystery has ended. Now, we know that Moeen Ali will play for the Emirates League premiering on January 6, 2023.
Is Moeen Ali Skipping The SA20 League?
It is no surprise that Moeen Ali will be skipping the South Africa T20 league for UAE International League T20. The latter is backed by some of the most popular franchises, almost every player is interested in taking part in the Emirates tournament 2023.
The official of Chennai Super Kings, who is also the lead of Sharjah Warriors, said, “It’s most likely that he (Moeen Ali) will play in UAE.”
The confusion was caused by the clash of two leagues and franchise owners. Moeen’s managers further added to the unforeseeable events. As of this Thursday, the CSK officials have confirmed that Moeen Ali is committed to the ILT20 2023.
A Word From The Organizer Of the SA20 League
This puzzle led Graeme Smith, the head of SA20, to set meetings with the organizers of the ILT20 league. He said to the media, “We have aligned on a strategy in terms of allowing the player to be comfortable on what he does and where he decides to play. I’m dealing with the UAE league on that.”
Smith further elaborated on his meeting with this statement, “I was in the UAE last week and met with them and that will play itself out over the next few days. We have agreed on a way of handling it. There needs to be a way that both of us can co-exist.”
Moeen Ali was signed for $340,000. As of yet, it is the highest fee slab in the upcoming ILT20 2023. However, his place will be filled by another player in the SA20 tournament. The auction for that is set on September 19.
What Does Moeen Ali Have To Say?
Moeen Ali did not remain silent during this confusing time. He released a video for his fans confirming that he will appear in the UAE T20 league. The video was posted on the Sharjah Warriors’ official Twitter account with the caption, “Welcome to the Sharjah Warriors family, Moeen Ali! The Spin Wizard from England is all set to wreak havoc in ILT20!”
In the video, he said, “Hi everyone, (this is) Moeen Ali here. I just want to let you all know that I will be playing for the Sharjah Warriors in the upcoming first edition of the ILT20 in the UAE. (It) should be a great tournament. I am looking forward to seeing you all there in the United Aram Emirates (sic).”
Summary
And that’s all the fresh news about your favorite England all-rounder. Now, you can rest assured that Moeen Ali will be a part of the ILT20 tournament, which is looking to be one of the biggest leagues.