Moeen Ali, Who Quit IPL To Play In Pakistan Super League, Finally Reveals Why

The schedule clash between the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) leaves overseas cricketers with one T20 tournament to choose from. More often than not, overseas cricketers who fail to attract interest from India go on to play in Pakistan. There are a few exceptions, though, with certain players opting to register for the PSL, giving its Indian counterpart a miss. Such was the case with former England all-rounder Moeen Ali.

The 38-year-old, who played for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last year, registered his name for PSL but gave the IPL a miss. While there has been a lot of speculation around Moeen's reasons, he has finally broken silence and explained why the PSL took precedence for him over the IPL.

"There are a few reasons. I'm 38 now, and I still want to play, do well, and extend my career as much as possible. Karachi was a big factor in my decision to come here. It's a shorter competition, which works better for my family and me," Moeen said on ARY Podcast.

In the IPL 2025 season, Moeen was bought by KKR for a fee of Rs 2 crore. He played a total of 6 matches for the franchise last year but made just 5 runs. According to the former England all-rounder, the lack of opportunities and the tournament's length pushed him to give the IPL a miss this time.

"Last year in the IPL, I played only half the games and barely got to bat, just twice. At this stage, I want to be out there; I want to bat. I feel like I'm playing good cricket towards the back end of my career, and I just want to keep going," he added.

"You're never guaranteed a place anywhere, even here, but I just want to enjoy my cricket as much as I can. I've always wanted to experience the PSL, but unfortunately, it slightly clashes with the IPL," he said.

Playing for the Karachi Kings in the PSL, Moeen earns an annual salary of Rs 2.14 crore.

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