Moeen Ali claims he was called ‘Osama’ by an Australian player during 2015 ashes

England cricketer Moeen Ali claims in his new autobiography that he was called “Osama” by an Australian opponent during his Ashes debut in 2015.

Moeen, who scored 77 runs in the first innings and took five wickets in the match as England won the series opener in Cardiff, alleges the unnamed player compared him to terrorist Osama bin Laden during an on-field exchange.

Writing in his autobiography, which is being serialised in British newspaper The Times, Moeen said: “It was a great first Ashes Test in terms of my personal performance, however there was one incident which had distracted me.

“An Australian player turned to me on the field and said, 'Take that, Osama'. I could not believe what I had heard. I remember going really red. I have never been so angry on a cricket field.”

The player involved denied making the slur when confronted about it.