England’s Hales out of World Cup after failing drug test

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Monday that top order batsman Alex Hales has been dropped from the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019 as the batsman failed the recreational drugs test.

“The decision has been taken by the ECB Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket and the England National Cricket Selectors, having considered what is in the best interests of the England team. Consideration was given to creating the right environment within the team and ensuring that there are no unnecessary distractions and that the team is in the best position to succeed going into this crucial period,” read an ECB statement.

“We have thought long and hard about this decision,” said Ashley Giles, the ECB managing director of men’s cricket. “We have worked hard to create the right environment around the England team and need to consider what is in the best interests of the team, to ensure they are free from any distractions and able to focus on being successful on the pitch," he added.

The top order batsman has also been removed from England’s squad for the Vitality IT20, the Royal London ODI series against Pakistan and the preliminary ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup squad.