Moeen hits the £700k IPL jackpot
MOEEN ALI became the Chosen One by landing a bumper £700,000 Indian Premier League contract after his controversial departure from England’s tour.
All-rounder Moeen was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings at the IPL auction yesterday just 48 hours after England captain Joe Root apologised for saying he had “chosen” to fly home. Moeen will join England team-mate Sam Curran at the Chennai franchise from April to June.
Root apologised privately because his choice of words made it seem as if Moeen – who was always scheduled to miss the last two Tests against India to spend time out of the bubble at home with his family – was turning his back on the team after playing just one game.
Moeen, 33, took eight wickets and top-scored with a six-spangled 43 off 18 balls as England were thrashed by 317 runs in the second Test to leave the series tied at 1-1.
He had earlier contracted Covid and was forced to quarantine in Sri Lanka. Although Moeen’s bumper
IPL pay day will separate him from his family again, it will be worth it.
Jonny Bairstow, one of the players flying into India as reinforcements, said: “It’s pleasing to see any of your team-mates go for that amount.
“The qualities Mo has are worth every penny.”
While top-order big hitters Alex Hales and Jason Roy, below, both went unsold in the first round of bidding, Moeen will join Chennai in April after readmission to the England bubble ahead of their Twenty20 series in India next month.
Chris Morris of South Africa and Australia’s Glenn Maxwell emerged as millionaires from the early round of the auction.
Morris became the IPL’s most expensive overseas player after returning to the Rajasthan Royals for £1.59m. Maxwell joins Royal Challengers Bangalore for £1.4m.