Notts star Hales believes England can win World T20

Man of the Series Alex Hales is full of confidence that the current English T20 side can win the ICC World T20 when the tournament kicks off in just under a month, despite losing the recent ODI series against South Africa.
Alex HalesAlex Hales
Alex Hales

The tourists won all of their short format games in 2015 and the two-match series in South Africa marks the last competitive games for the side before the World Cup.

And Hales is out to join Michael Lumb, Graeme Swann and Ryan Sidebottom as Nottinghamshire’s winners of a major one-day trophy for England; the Outlaws trio having triumphed in the ICC World T20 in the West Indies six years ago.

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“It’s definitely the best side I’ve been involved with in Twenty20, with a lot of young ball-strikers and a good bowling attack as well,” said Hales.

“The last couple of years we’ve played some really good Twenty20 cricket.

“We have got some momentum heading into these games, but these guys (South Africa) are a very good Twenty20 side so it’s important for us that we do find some form heading into that big tournament.”

Hales passed 50 in all five games during the recent ODI series against the Proteas, including one century, as the Nottinghamshire opener totalled 383 runs at 76.6; a record tally for an Englishman in a five-match series.

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Those performances came hot on the heels of a baptism of fire in the Test arena where the 27-year-old averaged 17; an experience that taught Hales a lot despite the moderate runs return.

“I was obviously very disappointed with how the Tests went,” he added. “But it was my first crack at it, and I feel I learned a lot from it.

“It was good to find some form with the white ball, and I feel in good touch going into these Twenty20s.

“We’ve got a big couple of months now, with the Twenty20 World Cup.

“I think it’s a really exciting time – with the talent and firepower we have in our squad, people who can hit sixes all the way down to number 11 I think we’ve got a good chance.”