England cricket star, 36, fumes as he accuses opponent of asking ‘are you still taking drugs?’ in ‘pathetic’ row
ALEX HALES has claimed he was asked “are you still taking drugs?” during a furious bust-up in Bangladesh.
Notts and former England opener Hales was banned for 21 days and dropped from the 2019 World Cup after twice testing positive for recreational drugs.
Alex Hales claims he was goaded over his previous failed drug past by an opposing player[/caption]
He now makes a lucrative living on the T20 circuit and currently plays for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Rangpur needed 26 runs from the final over against Fortune Barishal on Thursday and, in an incredible finish, captain Nurul Hasan plundered 30 – the third-most in the final over to win a T20 game.
In angry scenes at the finish, Barishal skipper and opener Tamim Iqbal, a superstar in Bangladesh, had to be separated from Rangpur players.
Hales, 36, revealed: “He was asking if I was embarrassed for getting banned for drugs for England and asking if I was still taking drugs.
“He was very, very rude. It’s a real shame really because, if anything happens on the field, that just ends on the field.
“But to get personal and after the game, too, I think is pathetic, to be honest.”
Tamim claimed he was responding to Hales abusing Barishal squad player Iqbal Hossain Emon, 18.
He insisted: “Hales abused Emon and it was visible on TV.
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“If you watch the celebration video, Rangpur players ran towards Nurul after the win, but Hales kept looking at me and mocking me. It seemed like he wanted a fight.
“Later, when he again insulted Emon, I had to stand up for my team-mate and I have no regrets about doing so. We both exchanged words.
“I didn’t even know about his ban or follow him that closely. But I do know there are many accusations against him in England.
“If anyone says something about me or my team, I will always stand up for us, regardless of how I’m portrayed on TV.”
Hales dropped from the 2019 World Cup after twice testing positive for recreational drugs[/caption]
