He had yet to play for the USA at that stage, but has since made some telling contributions with the ball, even as he continues his battle with ongoing hamstring injuries.
When at full fitness he is a yard quicker than most other bowlers in the country and there can’t be many cricketers in the world who’ve bowled just the one ball to Kumar Sangakkara and gotten him out!
He had basically given up on his first love – cricket. Then, one day his Uncle took him along to a local club match in Dayton Ohio, where Ali re-emerged as a cricketer.
Following his debut for the Greater Dayton Cricket Club, Ali yearned for more with his cricket. Back then, Ali Khan was a largely unfamiliar name, so he had to get creative with his approach to venture beyond The Buckeye State.
In 2013, he embraced the power of social media and reached out to Maq Qureshi on Facebook, where an invite to a local tournament was extended. It didn’t take Ali long to pack his kit bag and buy a one-way ticket to Fort Lauderdale. Solid performances with the ball, including four wickets in the quarterfinal, was enough to earn Ali a regular spot on the traveling team. By his own admission, these tournaments helped him to get the national recognition he was searching for, now his sights were firmly set on representing the red, white and blue.
Right around the time his USA passport arrived an ICC Americas Combine was announced for Indianapolis, where over 100 athletes vied for 15 spots to compete in the WICB Nagico Super50 in the Caribbean. Like many others, Ali jumped online and filled out his application and was invited to attend the first phase.
His performance and attitude, both on and off the field, afforded him the opportunity to progress through phase one and go onto the second weekend where he was rightfully selected in the final 15 to tour the Caribbean.
Just as his national exposure became apparent in 2013, he was building a name for himself on the international scene during the tour of the West Indies. Only playing two full matches, he earned a spot in the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad to compete in the Caribbean Premier League later that summer.
Still uncapped for the USA, at this stage, and burdened by a hamstring injury he went on to make his debut at World Cricket League Division 4 in L.A. against Oman last November. He managed to take two crucial wickets and helped restrict Oman to 160, a standout in the eyes of many.
As he reflects on his time at the top he’s still as humble as ever and thanks Head Coach Pubudu for the support and encouragement over his tenure. As Ali prepares for World Cricket League 3 in Uganda he has his eyes firmly set on taking home the trophy and playing his role in the team.
A bright future lies ahead for Khan and he, like many others in the community, hopes to be representing the U.S. at a World Cup.
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