Three Muslim players included in England cricket team

BIRMINGHAM: The first time ever in the history of English cricket, three Muslim players were inducted to play in the final ODI of the three-match series against South Africa.

According to details, three Muslims, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid were part of the playing eleven with Lancashire pacer Saqib Mahmood making his ODI debut for England.

Amusingly all three are of Pakistani-Kashmiri origin, Moeen Munir Ali is of Pakistani descent and migrated to England from Mirpur Azad Kashmir. Rashid was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and is of Pakistani background belongs to the Mirpuri community, his family moved to England in 1967 from Azad Kashmir.

Saqib was born in Birmingham and raised in Rochdale to parents who emigrated from Pakistan. England won the match by two wickets to level the series 1-1 with all three players playing a part in the success. 

Saqib opened the bowling for England and got a wicket yielding 17 runs in five overs.  South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks was Saqib’s first scalp in ODIs.

While,  England’s spinning bowling duo Moeen and Adil playing together for the earliest since the World Cup July last 2019, bowled their quota of 10 overs each. Moeen got one wicket for 42, while Adil picked up three wickets for 51 runs.

While, for South Africa, Quinton de Kock and David Miller scored 69 runs, every to post 256-7. In return, England acquired the target of 257 for the loss of eight wickets in 44th over. Jonny Bairstow scored a quickfire 43, while Joe Root and Joe Denly scored 49 and 66 correspondingly.

England lost four quick wickets for 20 runs, although, Moeen Ali steered 17 runs, to level the ODI series 1-1. Adil was selected man of the match for his records of 3-51 in 10 overs.

England and South Africa will now play a three T20I starting Wednesday. Moeen, Adil and Saqib are also part of England’s T20I squad.