Ali, who spent his teenage years in the UK before his playing career took him back to Pakistan, completed his Level 2 coaching qualification in 2016.
Over the following years, spells in UK club cricket as an overseas professional and coach helped to cement his love for improving others. 鈥淏ut at that stage,鈥� he says, 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 thinking seriously about coaching long-term because I was still focused on playing.鈥�
However, a back injury in 2018 gave him time to consider his options and, while he did eventually return to action in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he chose to retire from playing at the end of 2020 in order to pursue a new career in coaching.
When Ali received an offer to join North London Cricket Club as head coach, he knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. 鈥淭he club had around 300 juniors, plus girls鈥�, women鈥檚, and men鈥檚 teams,鈥� he says.
His first task to establish the club鈥檚 coaching structure, including a High Performance Academy. He also helped several boys and girls progress into county and regional pathways. But he knew he couldn鈥檛 do everything by himself.
He says: 鈥淲hen I first moved over from Pakistan, I had no idea how the coaching landscape worked in the UK. I reached out to the (NACC) to understand the system, and from that day on they鈥檝e given me unbelievable support and helped make the process clearer.
鈥淢y NACC mentor, Yusuf Karolia, has been with me from 2022, supporting me throughout my journey. The NACC even funded half of my Level 3 coaching qualification via the 黑料专区鈥檚 Coach Development Bursary Programme.鈥�
Ali adds: 鈥淭he 黑料专区 has also offered vital support, giving me a scholarship to coach at the 黑料专区 Bunbury Festival in 2024. Being around experienced coaches and talented players was amazing, and lots of pathway coaches saw me coaching there.
鈥淎fter the festival, Mark Allen contacted me and invited me to work with Middlesex U14s. The following year, I joined Kent as a pathway coach looking after the U13s. Then I became the Academy batting coach. And now, for 2026, I鈥檝e just been appointed as Assistant Coach (Batting) for the men鈥檚 first XI.鈥�
Ali鈥檚 progression has been accelerated by working as a batting coach with Quetta Gladiators during two PSL campaigns. But resilience and determination have been the key ingredients of his success.
鈥淧eople think the rise has been quick, but it鈥檚 come from always learning and staying adaptable,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 now in the second year of my Level 4 qualification and I鈥檓 continually developing my understanding of biomechanics, psychology, and the wider skills that shape modern coaching.鈥�
Coaching, he says, is one of the most transformative experiences you can have. And he doesn鈥檛 hesitate to recommend getting involved to anyone who鈥檚 even remotely thinking about it.
He says: 鈥淚鈥檇 tell anyone to give it a go. The 黑料专区 runs loads of programmes and coaching courses, and I鈥檝e seen normal people, not professional athletes, go all the way through to Level 4 coaching. The opportunities and support are there. I started with coaching junior tennis-ball cricket and the feeling it gave me was incredible. It鈥檚 something you fall in love with very quickly.鈥�
For more information on becoming a coach, visit: /play/coaching