Alex Hales Opts Out of England’s Bangladesh Tour for PSL Prior to World Cup
England will be touring Bangladesh for three ODIs and as many T20Is.
England’s stylish opener England opener Alex Hales is reportedly set to miss the upcoming tour of Bangladesh in order to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for Islamabad United, who bought him as a platinum pick for £145,000.
The 2023 edition of the Pakistan Super League is scheduled to take place from February 13 to March 19, whereas England will be playing three One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals each in Bangladesh from March 1 to 14.
Hales, who made a return in England colours after a long wait of three years, starred in the T20 World Cup 2022 with 212 runs while averaging 42.40 after stepping in the role for injured Jonny Bairstow.
Notably, Hales doesn’t hold a national contract and receives match fees for international appearances with the England cricket team. The PSL is expected to offer him greater financial gain than playing in Bangladesh.
Matthew Mott, the English white-ball coach statement:
“To me, white-ball cricket is white-ball cricket. He’s (Alex Hales) shown he’s not a slogger of the ball. He’s a proper cricketer, and there’s absolutely no reason why he couldn’t get in the 50-over team. We’ve got some tough selections coming up, and we don’t play a lot of one-day cricket, but I’m sure if he keeps in this rich vein of form, he’ll be hard to keep out.”
The white-ball series against Bangladesh will start from March 1 with the ODIs, which will be followed by three T20Is. The reigning T20 World Champions are currently in South Africa for a three-match ODI series.
