Alex Hales suggested playing at Perth could limit talismanic leg-spinner Rashid Khan’s influence when England face Afghanistan in their opening T20 World Cup match.
The top-ranked T20 spinner in the world is the most obvious danger to England’s star-studded batting line-up on Saturday as they look to avoid a banana skin at the outset of the Super 12s stage.
Rashid leaked 110 runs in nine overs against England at the 2019 50-over World Cup, but he has a tremendous record in the Big Bash League with 92 wickets in 61 matches and a deeply impressive economy rate of 6.44, with his relentless accuracy and several, subtle variations at the heart of his success.
While not seeking to downplay how instrumental his Trent Rockets team-mate can be, Hales thinks the bounce and carry that the Optus Stadium usually offers, as well as a lack of spin, might hinder Rashid.
“A lot of the guys have played an awful lot of cricket against him now,” Hales said. “He’s been around a long time and our guys are very experienced.
“Obviously he’s a world-class operator. (But) I think of all the grounds to play him at, Perth is probably one of the friendlier ones as a batter. Hopefully we can be positive against him.
“It’s going be a tough game. I think they are a dangerous side, I think any team in this World Cup is dangerous, but particularly Afghanistan.
“They’re a team that are improving rapidly and have some skilful operators. We are going to have to play well.”
During a much-publicised three-and-a-half-year spell out of the England team, Hales, who is expected to open the batting alongside Jos Buttler this weekend, spent a lot of time on the domestic T20 circuit.
He pointed out that unlike franchise tournaments such as the BBL or Indian Premier League – both of which had 14 group-stage fixtures in their most recent editions – England can ill-afford to make a false start and may need to win at least four of their five matches to reach the semi-finals.
In a group also containing hosts and defending champions Australia and last year’s beaten finalists New Zealand, Hales understands England must hit the ground running.
“More often than not in franchises you have 10 to 14 games where it’s not the end of the world if you’re finding your feet in the first few games,” Hales said.
“I think with this being only five games, you have to get off to a good start. I think it’s really important that you find early momentum and try and keep going with that as long as you can.
It's all about who handles the pressure moments the best at these tournaments— Alex Hales
“T20 franchise stuff, you want to peak at the back end of the tournament but, here, it’s going to be from ball one. It’s all about who handles the pressure moments the best at these tournaments.”
Hales’ BBL record was the major factor in him being selected ahead of Phil Salt as opener, amassing 1,857 runs at an average of 33.16 over the years, although it is his strike-rate that sets him apart.
No one with 1,000 runs or more has a strike-rate better than Hales’ 151.34 in the competition.
“There is obviously huge pressure here and playing in Australia, it’s a place where I’ve got a lot of good memories and played a lot of cricket,” he said.
Hales thought his chance of playing for England again had been and gone after being banished on the eve of the 2019 50-over World Cup for a positive recreational drugs test.
But he was recalled last month and is about to embark upon his fourth T20 World Cup, having featured in England’s group-stage exits in 2012 and 2014 and their run to the final in 2016.
“There’s definitely excitement there,” Hales added. “I mean, it’s a chance I didn’t think I’d get again, so there is a hell of a lot of excitement.
“I think it’ll probably hit me more once I get out there on the field, about to face my first ball of the tournament and I think that’s when the nerves and excitement really get going.”
