Happy Birthday Moeen Ali: Five lesser-known facts about England's all-rounder - In Pics

Cousins of Moeen, Kabir Ali and Kadeer Ali also play first-class cricket for Lancashire and Gloucestershire respectively, while his own sibling Omar has played in the Minor Counties Championship for Herefordshire.

Four years after he started fiddling with the doosra, Moeen Ali finally unveiled the mystery ball at the international arena during the 2nd Test against Sri Lankan at Headingly. It was a significant moment in English cricket history. 

Ali is of Pakistani descent and belongs to the Mirpuri community. His grandfather migrated to England from Mirpur in Kashmir. 

Ali is fondly known as “the beard that’s feared” in his hometown and in media.

Moeen Ali wore “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” wristbands in connection with the Gaza conflict on day 2 of the third Test match of the 2014 series against India. The ICC code bars players from “conveying messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes”. According to the ECB, Moeen’s stance was “humanitarian, not political” and a spokesman stated that “the ECB do not believe he has committed any offence.”