Allrounder confirms he will join Sharjah Warriors in ILT20, despite signing for Joburg too
Vithushan Ehantharajah31-Aug-2022Moeen Ali has confirmed that he will be joining Sharjah Warriors in the International League T20 this winter, following a tussle for his signature that may yet result in him appearing in South Africa’s new competition as well, the dates of which are set to overlap with the UAE-based franchise league.Speaking on Wednesday, Graeme Smith, the league commissioner of South Africa’s newly named SA20, acknowledged the England allrounder’s complicated situation, given that he had been announced in the squads for both the Johannesburg Super Kings and the ILT20’s Sharjah Warriors. Later the same afternoon, Moeen confirmed in an a announcement on Twitter that he would be choosing the Warriors as his primary destination.”We have aligned on a strategy in terms of allowing the player to feel comfortable in terms of what he does and where he decides to play,” Smith said when asked about Moeen. “I am dealing with the UAE league in that.”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 a way of handling it. There needs to be a way that both of us can co-exist.”There is a relationship that’s opened up there in terms of finding a way forward. I am looking forward to further engagements with the UAE league on that.”The uniqueness of Moeen’s situation had centred on the agreements he entered into with both leagues. Having given commitments to both with an understanding he would pick the tournament he preferred, it turns out Moeen had signed directly with the Warriors. Thus, the ILT20 believed they have a greater claim to him than the SA20, given he had only signed with Cricket South Africa rather than a direct team. The issue was further complicated by the fact the Johannesburg team are a sister franchise of Chennai Super Kings, whom Moeen plays for in the Indian Premier League. Capri Global, who own the Warriors, are partners with IPL side Gujarat Titans.Andre Russell withdrew from the BBL after missing out on a top-bracket deal, and could be a key target for the newer franchise tournaments•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesIt was confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Smith spoke to Rob Key, England men’s managing director, to enquire about the availability of England players during the SA20. There will be no restrictions on England players putting themselves forward for that or the ILT20 this season. The Test series against Pakistan concludes on December 21, though a white-ball tour of South Africa is scheduled for the end of January, just before the knockouts of the SA20.There will be the usual provisos on managing workloads, though that will understandably be more on pace bowlers rather than batters. While there is also an England Lions tour to Sri Lanka mooted for the start of the year, it is understood taking players out of franchise commitments will be judged on a case-by-case basis. Players like Ben Duckett and Will Jacks could feel the pinch and may find themselves at a crossroads with their Test and white-ball ambitions, certainly in the short term.
Welcome to the Sharjah Warriors family, Moeen Ali!
The spin wizard from England is all set to wreck havoc in #ILT20!#SharjahWarriors #CapriGlobal #Internationalleaguet20 #ilt20 #uae #cricket #uaecricket #sharjah @ILT20Official pic.twitter.com/ySwPeAtXsZ
— Sharjah Warriors (@SharjahWarriors) August 31, 2022