Moeen Ali joins Yorkshire in T20 Blast as he lays out retirement plan and praises anti-racism efforts

Moeen has announced that he is leaving domestic cricket after signing for the Birmingham Bears last summer.

He had ended his international career the previous year having played 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20 ODIs, appearing in three Ashes series.

Following England’s recent 4-1 defeat in Australia, team culture has once again hit the headlines, with the England and Wales Cricket Board vowing to investigate reports of players drinking excessively.

Moeen is a devout Muslim who does not drink alcohol. From a sporting standpoint, he says that consuming alcoholic beverages a day or two before the match will have an impact on the player’s performance.

“I think when you’re at the elite level, things have to be appropriate, and if you’re trying to perform at the highest level, alcohol is a bigger issue,” Moeen said.

“I think there has to be something… I know it happens in football, people rarely drink before a match, and I think it will be the same in cricket in four or five years.”

Moeen, who won two IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings and led Worcestershire to their maiden victory in 2018, also led Birmingham Phoenix to the inaugural Hundred Championship final.

He knows his latest move may surprise some people.

“Some fans may be disappointed by signing a 38-year-old player, but I am there to do my job and hope to win silverware,” he said.

“And playing at Headingley, which is a special ground, is one of the main reasons I signed for Yorkshire. I know this could be the last two or three years of my career and I want to win as much as I can.”

The move will also see Moeen team up with England white-ball captain Harry Brook, the Yorkshire batsman who has been making headlines on and off the field.

Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer in an altercation during England’s tour of New Zealand before the Ashes. The incident and the fine imposed on Brock were not revealed until more than two months after the event occurred.

More positively, Brook hit a quick century for England on Tuesday in their win over Sri Lanka in Colombo to seal a 2-1 ODI series win.

“I think he did a good job. On and off the field it’s something everyone goes through, the greatest players go through it, it’s how you learn and how you come back from it,” Moeen said.

“Mistakes can happen, it was highlighted a lot because we lost the Ashes. I think he’ll be OK, I think he’ll learn a lot.”

Moeen will join his new team in May ahead of his first T20 match against Nottinghamshire, and there is an option to extend his contract until 2027.

Yorkshire, who have never won a T20 Blast, have also signed Afghan Navinul Haq, Australian fast bowler AJ Tye and Dutch all-rounder Logan van Beek for the upcoming campaign.

“I have one eye on what I want to do after cricket. I want to head straight into coaching,” Moeen said about his future.

“While I am at Yorkshire I want to help as much as I can and if that means doing a session at the academy I would be very happy to help and pass on my knowledge of the game.”