Moeen Ali makes shocking revelation, claims Australian player called him 'Osama' in 2015 Ashes Test; Cricket Australia to probe
England Cricket team all-rounder Moeen Ali has come up with a shocking claim that one of the Australian team players called him 'Osama' during the 2015 Ashes Test. Moeen Ali is a Birmingham-born cricketer of Pakistani descent. He narrated his ordeal in his autobiography. Taking the matter in hand, Cricket Australia ordered it will probe Moeen Ali's claims over Australian players.
Moeen, 31, has made the accusation in his soon to be released autobiography. A passage from his book reads: "It was a great first Ashes Test in terms of my personal performance. However, there was one incident which had distracted me. An Australian player had turned to me on the field and said, 'Take that, Osama.' I could not believe what I had heard. I remember going really red. I have never been so angry on a cricket field."
"I told a couple of the guys what the player had said to me and I think Trevor Bayliss must have raised it with Darren Lehmann, the Australians' coach.
"Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and have no place in our sport, or in society," said a Cricket Australia spokesperson.
"We have a clear set of values and behaviours that come with representing our country. We take this matter very seriously, and are following up with the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) as a matter of urgency to seek further clarification around the alleged incident," he further added.
In 2015, Ashes Test, England were hosts for the series and won it 3-2 to regain it.
First published: 15 September 2018, 14:38 IST