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The Hundred chiefs have suffered a setback after Birmingham Phoenix captain and former England all-rounder Moeen Ali opted out of this summer’s tournament.
Moeen, 37, will take on a player-coach role for the final year of his contract with Warwickshire, which will see him try to help the Birmingham Bears win the T20 Blast.
That will bring down the curtain on his time in county cricket and free him up to play lucrative franchise competitions around the world – but the Hundred won’t be one of them.
“This is a big decision for me and not one I’ve taken lightly,” said Moeen, who had to make a call before Birmingham Phoenix announced their list of retained players for 2025.
“I’ve reached a decision in the last few days, taking into account what I feel is best for me and my family at this stage in my career.
“I’m still passionate about the game and want to play as much as I can. I still love playing. I still have passion for the game and I love being in a team environment.
“I also enjoy talking to players about cricket, the tactics, and I think that’ll help me move smoothly into coaching after my playing days are over.
“I came back to Warwickshire with an aim of trying to help them win the Blast and I still want to play a role this year.
“I’ll be available to play throughout the Blast group games, and would love to be involved as a player-coach.”
Moeen’s absence from the Hundred follows that of former England teammate Alex Hales, who announced last week that he was skipping it and the T20 Blast to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders’ franchises in the US and Caribbean.
It follows the England and Wales Cricket Board tightening rules on No Objection Certificates, to the effect that anyone signing a county contract is not permitted to play overseas during the domestic season.
