With the 2022 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League having come to a close, here’s our review of how English players in the tournament performed.
Moeen Ali – Comilla Victorians
225 runs @ 37.50, SR 150; 9 wkts @ 19.88; Econ 7.25
Ali was a vital component of the Comilla Victorians team that would eventually go on to win the competition after finishing second in the group stage. His finest outing came against the Khulna Tigers, when he scored 75 off just 35 deliveries and took 2-20 in four overs with the ball. In the final, Ali scored 38 off 32 balls before going for 28 runs off three overs as his team won a dramatic match by just one run.
Ravi Bopara – Sylhet Sunrisers
101 runs @ 14.42, SR 120.23; 2 wkts @ 72.00; Econ 8.00
This was a pretty miserable tournament by all accounts for the T20 veteran. In his first game as captain after taking over halfway through the tournament, Bopara found himself in the middle of a ball-tampering scandal after the umpires deemed that he had unfairly changed the condition of the ball.
Bopara was initially banned for three matches but his suspension was later overturned and his punishment reduced to a fine of 75 percent of his match fee and three demerit points. Bopara explained that the grip he used to bowl a knuckle ball had falsely given the impression that he was attempting to gain an unfair advantage. He didn’t have much joy elsewhere either as an altogether bizarre campaign for the Sunrisers came to an end with just one win from 10 matches.
Benny Howell – Chattogram Challengers
207 runs @ 25.87, SR 154.47; 4 wkts @ 86.25, Econ 7.90
A fairly mediocre tournament by Howell’s high standards, with the highlight of his competition most likely being the news that he had been drafted by the Punjab Kings in the IPL. A number of late-innings cameos, including a 41 not out off 20 balls against Fortune Barishal further proved his worth the bat, however in 12 matches he only took four wickets in an unusual barren spell for the normally prolific medium pacer/spinner.
Will Jacks – Chattogram Challengers
414 runs @ 41.40; SR 155.05
A fantastic tournament for Jacks saw him finish the competition as its leading run-scorer. The Surrey player registered four half-centuries in eleven innings, with the highlight being a 92 not out in a successful chase of 186 against Bopara’s Sylhet Sunrisers. Jacks, also known for his off-spin, only bowled in two matches in Bangladesh, taking just one wicket in the process.
Jake Lintott – Fortune Barishal
4 wkts @ 13.75, Econ 5.00
Lintott may have only played in three matches this tournament for group table-toppers Fortune Barishal but he impressed in all three. Figures of 1-18 in both of his first two games was followed up by 2-19 in his third as the left-arm wrist spinner proved a handful for opposing teams. However, the highlight of Lintott’s tournament arguably came with the bat, as the tailender with a T20 average of 9.45 was bumped up to the top of the order in his final match where he opened the batting with Chris Gayle and scored a brisk 11 off 6 balls.
