Trinbago Knight Riders fast bowler Ali Khan who has a host of adoring fans in T&T, says that he would like to represent the Red Force in regional cricket down the road.
Ali Khan made headlines when he first represented the TKR in their winning CPL effort in 2018. He again played a major hand in taking them to the semi-finals of the tournament in 2019, where they lost to the Barbados Tridents.
Khan who represents the United States cricket team said he would like to get into the T&T Red Force team to play in regional cricket when the time allows.
Speaking to Guardian Media Sports on Thursday, the Ohio resident said: "I love Trinidad and Tobago and would live to represent the Red Force and do the people proud. T&T is like my second home and I enjoy playing cricket there."
With the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) allowed to choose two overseas players, Khan could come into the mix but for the moment time might not allow. "At the moment playing for Red Force would clash with several other assignments that I have around the world playing in the leagues. However, once down the road, there is time to devote to it, I would like to play for the Red Force in First-Class cricket.
"It was always my dream to play in First-Class cricket because as you know here in the States we just play the shorter formats of the game. I would relish playing some red-ball cricket over four days in the West Indies because I think it can do some much for my game."
The 29-year old has played just the solitary ODI for America taking one wicket, while he has taken 23 wickets in nine List A matches. In his only T20 match for the USA, he also took a wicket. In all, he has taken 30 wickets in 28 T20 matches around the world at an average of 29.36.
Born and raised in Pakistan, he moved to the USA with his parents at the age of 18, settling in Ohio. He was a regular in various private T20 cricket tournaments around the USA, but it wasn't until ICC Americas organized an open trial at Indianapolis in September 2015 that he gained wider attention on the national scene.
He was spotted by Dwayne Bravo at the 2017 US Open T20 tournament where he impressed with the ball for the US All-Stars. Bravo and his brother Dwayne had been invited to play at the US Open T20 by Ali Khan's dear friend Mahammad Qureshi and according to Ali, it all began there: "I owe so much to Maq Qureshi. He has always helped me out and he brought Bravo to the US Open T20 where I was spotted.
"I reached out to Maq in 2013 and from that moment he has taken me under his wings and helped me out. Anything I need he is right there for me and as such I have to thank him sincerely. Even getting spotted on the international scene, Maq had a hand in that because he brought the Bravo brothers to the US to play."