In a candid conversation during a podcast, England cricketers Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali were asked if they would play for Pakistan in international cricket. While the host made his choice of international cricketing nation obvious, the England duo gave some intriguing responses despite admitting that they have been asked such questions in the past. Adil said that he would rather try to make it through the system in the country he was born than play for another country. For Moeen, it was playing international cricket that mattered more than the choice of the nation.

“If I was born here I’d look to play if I was born in Pakistan if I born in India wherever I was born yeah surely that’s the country that I will try and play for,” Adil said when posed the question during Beard Before Wicket podcast.

The host of the show said that he considers himself ‘British-Asian’ and would like to play for Pakistan over England, if given a choice. Moeen called the statement ‘crazy’, while also asserting that the thought never crossed his mind.

Adil Rashid also shared his thoughts on the topic, saying the possibility of playing for Pakistan over England never crossed his mind.

“It’s never crossed my mind to say right I’m going to go Pakistan and play for them. Why would I?

As the host said that he thought it was a rule because of which Rashid couldn’t play for Pakistan, the both England stars – Moeen and Rashid – intervened and said: “We don’t qualify to play for Pakistan”.

Moeen then asked Rashid if he would play for Pakistan if the possibility of playing for England didn’t exist. In reply, Rashid said: “No, because if I was born in England, I would try to make it through the England system.”

Rashid then sought clarity on the question, asking if he was eligible to play country cricket in England. Moeen then said that he was, but only as an overseas player. Rashid then said: “I’ve actually not thought about anything like that. But I would think about it, depending upon how much you love cricket and how much you really want it. The financial side is there, the lifestyle as well as there are a lot of things you have to take into consideration.”

When the host asked the same question to Moeen Ali, he said he would play for any international team in the world.