England opener Alex Hales has said ahead of the crucial seven-match T20I series against Pakistan, he never thought he would don his country’s jersey in an international cricket match after he failed a drugs test in 2019 and was left in the wilderness for three years owing to the misdemeanour. 

Hales made a return to the white-ball side after he was chosen as a replacement for the injured Jonny Bairstow for the away series against Pakistan ahead of the ICC T20I World Cup in Australia next month.