Explosive all-rounder from the Punjab squad takes a dig at the team management
Punjab (Image Source: BCCI/IPL)
Indian T20 League 2022 saw the end of its league stage with the match between Hyderabad and Punjab. The match bore little significance to the tournament as the four teams to play in the playoffs have already been decided. Given this was a match of formality both the teams were looking to give game time to some of the players who have not played enough in the tournament.
Notably, Punjab gave the debut cap to one Prerak Mankad who did not get to do much in the match. They also fielded Nathan Ellis who played his second match in the tournament. But this meant the English all-rounder, Benny Howell did not get to play a single match in the tournament.
Howell is an attacking lower middle-order batter and medium-pace bowler. He is known to have plenty of variations under his sleeve. He is arguably famous for claiming to have 50 different varieties of slow balls in his repertoire. He has 113 T20 matches in England and has taken 131 wickets in them at an impressive average of 19.44. He featured in The Hundreds last year where he took 11 wickets at an average of 18.54 playing for Birmingham Phoenix. Howell is handy with the bat also having an average of 23 in T20 cricket and can score some useful runs coming down lower down in the order. He was bought for INR 40 Lakhs by the Punjab team in the mega auction.
But the fact that the Punjab team did not give him a single match in the tournament did not go down well with the player. After the playing elevens were confirmed for the match, Howell took to Twitter to express his discontent. He posted an emoticon on the microblogging site suggesting he has no idea why he is not in the playing eleven. Fans were also seen supporting the 33year old all-rounder and thought that he deserved to get playing time in the match.
https://twitter.com/bennytweets_/status/1528370855725748224?s=20&t=T_qYLopA-lzBe41hFBO8bA
Here are some of the reactions of fans to the Tweet by Howell.
— ° (@anubhav__tweets) May 22, 2022
@bennytweets_?? pic.twitter.com/hY7Wb3lXqW
— Deep Maniani (@manianipbks) May 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/LongOnFielder/status/1528371056083628032?s=20&t=T_qYLopA-lzBe41hFBO8bA
benny so sad you didn't get a game bro man deserved one
you atharva, baltej deserved a game— daljit.singh (@dxljit) May 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/jsharmasays/status/1528388634969133056?s=20&t=T_qYLopA-lzBe41hFBO8bA
I an really feeling for you man. Was shouting and screaming to get you in the playing XI but hopefully next season we will have you in the game
— Kane Army DSZ (@DeepTakkar3) May 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/ryandesa_7/status/1528425792593854468?s=20&t=T_qYLopA-lzBe41hFBO8bA
https://twitter.com/Sam_Kalund/status/1528376249554374657?s=20&t=T_qYLopA-lzBe41hFBO8bA
https://twitter.com/LegendSoham/status/1528393844030464000?s=20&t=T_qYLopA-lzBe41hFBO8bA
Should have been you today no argument about that. Even for balance it makes sense.
— Gurjot Singh (@GurjotS85765670) May 22, 2022
Should have got the game today!
Before Ellis I feel..— Gagan Chawla (@toecrushrzzz) May 22, 2022
