England all-rounder Moeen Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37, as revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail published on Saturday. The Birmingham-born left-handed batter and right-arm spinner leaves behind an impressive legacy, having represented England in 68 Tests, 138 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 92 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) since making his debut in 2014.
Ali, who last appeared for England in June, expressed that the timing felt right for him to step aside and allow the next generation of players to take over. “I’m 37 years old and didn’t get picked for this month’s Australia series,” Ali said. “I’ve played a lot of cricket for England. It’s time for the next generation, which was also explained to me. It felt the time was right. I’ve done my part.”
A trailblazer in his own right, Ali was the first cricketer of Asian origin to captain England in T20Is. Over his career, he scored five centuries in Tests and three in ODIs, and took 366 wickets across all formats. Ali played crucial roles in England’s victorious 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup campaigns, solidifying his place in English cricket history.
Ali also holds the England record for the fastest fifty in T20Is, achieving the milestone in just 16 balls against South Africa in 2022. Reflecting on his career, Ali expressed immense pride: “When you first play for England, you don’t know how many games you are going to play. So to play nearly 300 … I know they were the best days of my life.”
While Ali has stepped away from the international stage, he intends to continue playing franchise cricket and hopes to transition into coaching in the future. “I could hold on and try to play for England again, but I know in reality I won’t,” he admitted. “Even retiring, I don’t feel it’s because I’m not good enough … but I get how things are, and the team needs to evolve into another cycle. It’s about being real to myself.”
Moeen Ali’s contributions to England’s cricketing success will be remembered for his dynamic all-round performances, leadership, and the trail he blazed for future generations.
