Former England batter Alex Hales has opted to continue his journey within the Knight Riders franchise ecosystem, signing up for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket (MLC), while choosing to skip the T20 Blast and The Hundred this summer.

The 36-year-old opener, who became the second-highest run-scorer in T20 history earlier this month, has been a stalwart for Nottinghamshire Outlaws, playing for the county side for 17 consecutive seasons. However, after relocating to Dubai, Hales has decided against signing a white-ball contract with the Outlaws for the upcoming season.

Hales has a strong connection with the Knight Riders franchise, having previously being picked for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. His return to the franchise system signals a preference for the lucrative opportunities in global T20 leagues over domestic competitions in England.

"Given the current landscape of the global game as well as having recently moved abroad, unfortunately, I won't be able to return this season," Hales stated.

Despite his absence, Hales remains Nottinghamshire's all-time leading T20 run-scorer, amassing 4,825 runs in the format and scoring 25 centuries in the county's colours. He has also enjoyed immense success in international cricket, playing 11 Tests, 70 One-Day Internationals, and 75 T20Is for England between 2011 and 2022. He was instrumental in England's 2022 T20 World Cup-winning campaign.

Nottinghamshire's director of cricket, Mick Newell, acknowledged Hales' decision but left the door open for a potential return. "While he won't be joining us this summer, we are by no means closing the door on him making a return to Notts at some stage in the future."

Despite playing for KKR franchise in abroad, Hales has never played for KKR in the IPL. The England player was picked by Knight Riders in IPL 2022 mega auction but opted to withdraw his name due to personal reasons.