The best beards in sport after Moeen Ali's match-winning performance triggers

Moeen Ali's match-winning performance on Day Five for England has seen him become the latest sportsman to take the world of social media by storm, after helping the hosts level the series against India with a 266-run victory. No sooner had Ali bowled out Pankaj Singh to win the match than a new craze swept Twitter in the form of #TheBeardThatsFeared. How does Moeen's beard measure up to the best of the sporting world?

Tim Howard, footballer

The United States goalkeeper starred at the World Cup for his display against Belgium, but did his powers come from his beard? A usually clean-shaven Howard took a different approach last season, and shone for both Everton and Team USA.

WG Grace, cricketer

The granddaddy of the beard, the English cricket legend set the extremely high standard for fashionable follicles. Sporting a two-tone full-face beard, sportsmen today can only aspire to the dizzying heights that Grace set over 100 years' ago.

DJ Forbes, rugby player

Forbes, the long-serving New Zealand Sevens captain, has enjoyed a wealth of success, but the image of his shaved head and full beard is as an intimidating beard as you will see on the rugby pitch. Not to mention when he's toplees, bleeding and doing the Haka.

Adam Clayton, footballer

Clayton certainly takes the award for the most creative beard. He sported the beard for the second half of Huddersfield Town's season, before shaving it off after the final match. The midfielder raised over £3,000 for charity. Adam, we salute your beard.

Hashim Amla, cricketer

The South African batsman is not only top of the ICC rankings, he is also undisputed king of the beards. Of course, he'll have to fend off the challenge of our very own Ali, but sadly the two aren't due to collide in an international beard-off for the next two years.

Andrea Pirlo, footballer

Pirlo oozes coolness on the pitch. His perfectly maintained beard is classically Italian -- well-maintained and full, yet rugged and ravenous - and he just knows how to pull it off.

The Independent