Moeen Ali has become the first England player to categorically state he will take his place on the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, with the all-rounder revealing that he had made his own decision prior to the team’s briefing from their security director, Reg Dickason, 10 days ago.
The five-week trip, which begins at the end of this month, was given the go-ahead to proceed by the England and Wales Cricket Board on 25 August following a detailed security assessment by Dickason and the Professional Cricketers Association and, while the Test captain, Alastair Cook, has privately stated his intention to travel, a number of players, including the one-day captain, Eoin Morgan, remain undecided.
Morgan said on Thursday that each player must make a personal decision, without prejudice, and that more time is needed to digest Dickason’s information in light of the terrorist attack in Dhaka on 1 July. While Jonny Bairstow has indicated he is likely to go – the wicketkeeper said he had not “100% made a decision” – Moeen becomes the first player to fully commit to the tour in public.
“If selected, I’ll definitely go,” said the 29-year-old before Sunday’s fifth one-day international against Pakistan in Cardiff. “I’m pretty happy with everything and really looking forward to it. Everyone’s different and has their own view on things. 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.”
With Trevor Bayliss, the head coach, and his assistant, Paul Farbrace, having confirmed they too will travel – the pair were on the Sri Lanka team bus that was shot at by terrorists in Pakistan six years ago – Morgan remains the only member of the senior leadership team still weighing up the call, but will not give the ECB his decision until after the Twenty20 international with Pakistan at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Asked if Morgan’s delay was affecting others in making their own choice, Moeen replied: “Not really. Some people need more time. For me, even before the meeting with Reg, I was happy to go.”
England are due to fly out to Bangladesh on 29 September, with the first of three one-day internationals in Dhaka on 7 October. A two-Test series, under Cook’s captaincy, will follow before they travel to India for the second tour of the winter.
Before that comes the last two internationals of the English summer, with Morgan’s side going into Sunday’s fixture with Pakistan chasing a first 5-0 clean sweep by the ODI side.
Moeen said: “We have got a great chance now to get this whitewash. It will be a massive achievement and it just shows how good this side is and the way we’re going.”
Pakistan will be without the seamer Mohammad Irfan for this match and Wednesday’s T20 international after he returned home. He suffered from back cramps in the fourth ODI at Headingly and has been replaced in the T20 squad by Hasan Ali.
