London : Moeen Ali, who last played for England in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, has retired from the international game. Moeen believed that the time was right for him after understanding that he was no longer in consideration for the side's future assignments.
The all-rounder has featured in 298 international matches from 2014-2024 for the English side in his cricketing career.
"I'm 37 years old and didn't get picked for this month's Australia series. 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," Moeen Ali said in an interview with former England captain Nasser Hussain in the Daily Mail as quoted by the ICC.
Moeen believed that his call was keeping in mind England's needs, a team looking to rebuild ahead of their upcoming white-ball cycle which features the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
"I could hold on and try to play for England again, but I know in reality I won't. Even retiring, I don't feel it's because I'm not good enough -- I still feel I can play. But I get how things are, and the team needs to evolve into another cycle.
It's about being real to myself," Moeen said. Moeen made his international debut in 2014 against West Indies. He scored 6678 international runs and picked 366 wickets. He won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup with the senior men's side.
As a youngster Moeen tended towards batting, but in the England shirt, he developed his bowling well enough to become their leading bowler in the Tests. He finished with 204 Test scalps, making him just the third England spinner behind Derek Underwood (297) and Graeme Swann (255).