Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal announces retirement from all forms of the game
Toby Marshall
In an unexpected twist, Tamim Iqbal, the captain of the Bangladesh ODI team, has dropped a bombshell by announcing his retirement from international cricket.
The cricket community was gearing up for the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup in India, which is just a few months away when this bombshell dropped. It took everyone by surprise, especially considering that Tamim Iqbal was leading the team in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, Bangladesh suffered a defeat in the first game of the series by 17 runs, and Tamim Iqbal did not have a significant impact on his batting performance.
The timing of his retirement decision, just three months before the start of the ODI World Cup in India, was unexpected and caught everyone off guard. On Thursday, he called for an impromptu press conference at noon, where he announced his retirement with tears in his eyes.
As the ODI World Cup draws closer, Bangladesh now faces the task of finding a new captain to lead the team. Tamim Iqbal’s announcement of retirement in an emotional press conference has left a void in the leadership position.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is yet to reveal the name of Tamim’s successor in the 50-over format. Speculation suggests that either Shakib Al Hasan or Litton Das could be considered for the role. Shakib Al Hasan is currently leading the Bangladesh team in the T20I format, while Litton Das holds the role of Test captain.
It is worth mentioning that Tamim Iqbal had previously announced his retirement from T20Is around the same time last year. His last appearance in a Test match for Bangladesh was against Ireland in April. Having made his ODI debut in February 2007 as a teenager, Tamim’s career-opening game coincided with Bangladesh’s iconic victory against India in the World Cup held in the West Indies. He made a significant contribution in that game, scoring a half-century.
The president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Nazmul Hasan, has made an appeal to Tamim Iqbal, urging him to reconsider his sudden retirement from international cricket. Hasan characterized the decision as “emotional and hasty,” emphasizing that Tamim, as the experienced opener and ODI captain, should have prioritized the team’s needs and his responsibilities with the 2023 World Cup only three months away.
Tamim chose not to elaborate on the specific reasons behind his retirement, but the timing, just two days after public criticism from Hasan questioning his commitment to the game and the team, inevitably led to speculation that the decision was influenced by the strained relationship between the player and the board.
Despite this, Hasan expressed a willingness to reconcile, stating that the board has not yet formally accepted Tamim’s retirement. This leaves room for a potential reversal of the decision, considering Tamim’s significant contributions to Bangladesh cricket and his continued value to the team’s World Cup aspirations. Regardless, Tamim deserves a respectful farewell for his remarkable contributions throughout his career.
