ICC T20 World Cup 2022: "There's Been No Air Clearing At All"- Alex Hales On His Talks With Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes’ return to the England team necessitated “clear the air” conversations, but Alex Hales claims the two have met as part of their World Cup preparation. 

They participated in a fight outside a bar in 2017 that resulted in Stokes being accused of affray and later cleared. 

We Just Sat Down With Jos Buttler And Talked About World Cup Goals: Alex Hales On His Meeting With Ben Stokes

In a recent documentary, Stokes, 31, made a suggestion that their relationship has soured since the Bristol incident. 

“We’ve sat down and had a chat,” Hales, 33, said.

“It’s been as good as gold.” 

White-ball skipper Jos Buttler was present during the meeting, according to Hales, but the impending competition in Australia was the main topic of discussion. 

“We’ve had a really good chat and things have been fine,” said the opening batter. “There’s been no air clearing at all, we just sat down with Jos and said our goal is to win the World Cup. It’s been really good – really smooth.” 

After a three-year ban for testing positive for a recreational substance just before the 2019 World Cup, Hales is now back in the international fold. 

Alex Hales was excluded from England’s white-ball preparations after Eoin Morgan, the country’s white-ball captain at the time, criticised him for displaying “total disdain for our beliefs.” 

Hales wasn’t chosen once again until Jonny Bairstow’s injury while playing golf and Morgan’s retirement left England short at the top of the order. 

He scored 84 runs off of 51 balls in the first T20 match against Australia on Sunday in Perth, contributing to a 132-run partnership with Buttler. 

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Alex Hales Surprised By Inclusion In England T20 World Cup Squad

Alex Hales is now more likely than Phil Salt to start alongside the captain for England against Afghanistan in the World Cup opener on 22 October. 

“It was a weird one,” he added. “I hadn’t got nervous for a long time. I don’t know what it was. I put it down to jet lag or maybe the fact that it’s heading into a huge six weeks for me. 

“It’s something I didn’t see happening a few months ago, especially with the firepower at the top of the order and to get this chance, I’m just really keen to make the most of it and enjoy myself. 

“It’s just a shame I haven’t been around the last three years because I feel I’ve been playing the best cricket of my life. I’ve got some lost time to make up for.”