London 7th Sep : Opening batsman Alex Hales on Thursday was called up to England’s team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia as an alternate for the batter who is in good form Jonny Bairstow.Hales 33 has also been included in England’s team for the T20I tour of Pakistan.This could also mean that Hales’s three-year ban from international cricket which began when he his last appearance for England in March of 2019 was over.He was unable to pass a drug test for recreational use and was then removed from the 2019 ODI World Cup, which England took home in the final.
The captain at the time Eoin Morgan frequently used the term “complete break in trust” regarding Hales exclusion from the England team.
With Morgan who has retired from international cricket, and Jos Buttler taking over as the new skipper with Jason Roy losing form rapidly and Bairstow suffering an injury to his left ankle after falling on the course of a golf course this week and he was able to clear the way for the Hales return to international cricket.
Hales is a well-known player in T20 franchise leagues in his absence from international cricket.He was a crucial component in the wheel of Trent Rockets, winners of this year’s men’s Hundred with 259 runs, at the strike rate of 152.35.He also formed an impressive partnership in the opening innings with fellow England teammate, left-handed batter Dawid Malan.
In the process, he became the first England player to reach the 10,000-runs in T20 format.
England Men’s managing director Rob Key had revealed on September 2 that Hales had been contacted and was arguing for his reintegration into international cricket by way of the T20 World Cup selection in the original team.
“From the discussions we’ve had there was never an issue as in our view.We were able to discuss the form.And, look, I talked with Alex Hales.He called me and he was arguing about the reason he was not there, and I think he was right.
“I prefer it when people dial the phone and say, “come on and tell me why I wasn’t there to be there?’ I have a lot of respect for them as opposed to those who sit in the shadows complaining about how they’re not selected for something.You look around and it’s an unfortunate situation where there’s plenty of lots of excellent players.”
“People believe it’s a good problem to be faced with, but it’s not easy with the person you choose to be batter in this type of white-ball cricket as there are plenty of choices.There are a lot of people who’ve failed to make it through who might have asked ‘why I’m not in ?’.”
In total, Hales has played 60 T20Is for England since his debut in 2011 with 1,644 runs, and averaging 31.01 at an average strike rate of 136.65.In 2014, during the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, he became the first England player to achieve an international T20 hundred, winning the match with 116 not out from 64 balls in a match against Sri Lanka in Chattogram.
England squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup Squad and three T20Is against Australia: Jos Buttler (Captain), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.
Travelling Reserves Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson and Tymal Mills.
England squad for the tour of Pakistan: Jos Buttler (Captain), Moeen Ali (Vice-Captain), Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Alex Hales, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Luke Wood and Mark Wood.
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