‘Not many top players’ – Moeen Ali raises concerns over Bangladesh cricket

Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has raised serious concerns about the current state of Bangladesh cricket, saying the team is facing challenges because it lacks world-class performers, beyond a few already established stars. 

Moeen is currently playing in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, representing Sylhet Titans. He believes that the overall standard of the league has not progressed and that has invariably affected Bangladesh cricket as a whole. 

The off-spinner opined that, earlier, he saw a lot of potential in Bangladesh cricket with the emergence of players like Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. But, with time, Bangla Tigers failed to produce world-class players, and that impacted them. 

“Earlier, I thought Bangladesh were evolving really well with players like Tamim [Iqbal] and Shakib [Al Hasan], but I don’t think there has been enough improvement lately. There are many good players now, but not many top players, and that’s where Bangladesh cricket is struggling,” Moeen told The Daily Star. 

While crediting the talent, the league processes, Moeen feels that the learning curve has been slow, and he does not see progress with the younger players. 

“The present players seem to be struggling, possibly because of coaching, facilities, or the overall system. In the BPL, some of the shot selections are very poor. The worrying part is that people have become used to seeing the same mistakes again and again. I’ve been here for a few seasons, and I still see players making the same errors. It feels like learning is very slow,” he continued.

Not just players, Moeen was also vocal about the situation and the quality of the league, and explained why it is struggling to keep up with the other global T20 leagues, such as SA20 and the Big Bash League. 

“Honestly, the biggest issue is that it clashes with other leagues. Maybe it will take another season. Hopefully, Inshallah, things will be better next season. But it will take time — almost like starting again,” concluded Ali. 

The 38-year-old has been playing for T20 leagues across the world and is one of the most successful T20 players. He has also won two IPL titles with the Chennai Super Kings.