Tamim Iqbal draws curtains on a 16-year-long career 3 months prior to ODI World Cup
Tamim Iqbal, the captain of Bangladesh’s ODI team, made his retirement from international cricket official on Thursday. Iqbal decided to end his participation in the series against Afghanistan after playing in the first ODI for his squad.
In what turned out to be his final international appearance, he scored 13 in the one-day international against Afghanistan in Chattogram on Wednesday after missing the one-off test against Afghanistan last month due to a stiff back.
The BCB has not responded in any way to Tamim’s announcement or named a replacement for the ODI captaincy. It also did not name a vice-captain prior to the series. When Tamim was hurt in an ODI match against India in December of last year, Litton Das led the team. The current favourite to lead the team in ODIs is Shakib Al Hasan, who currently serves as the regular Test and T20I captain.
Tamim Iqbal made the announcement in a highly emotional press conference
Tamim made the statement at a press conference he organised in Chattogram on Thursday, a day after Bangladesh lost to Afghanistan in the first of three ODIs, while surrounded by a mob of reporters. Tamim was visibly upset and in tears as he made the announcement.
“This is the end for me. I have given my best. I have tried my best. I am retiring from international cricket from this moment,” he said in a highly emotional press conference.
“I want to thank all my team-mates, coaches, BCB officials, my family members, and those who have been with me through my long journey. They kept faith in me.”
“I also want to thank the fans. Your love and faith in me inspired me to give my very best for Bangladesh. I want to ask for your prayers for the next chapter of my life. Please keep me in your prayers,” he added.
Iqbal announced his retirement from T20 Internationals last year.
Here’s a quick recap to Former Bangladesh captain’s ODI Career
Tamim Iqbal made his ODI debut in February 2007 as a teenager, and in Bangladesh’s famous victory against India in the World Cup in the West Indies, he scored the game-winning half-century. He concludes the ODI season with the most runs (8313) and hundreds (14) for his nation, and he ranks third among active players in terms of runs scored, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Tamim was Bangladesh’s second-best Test batsman, with 5134 runs at an average of 38.89 and ten hundreds in 70 games.
Mashrafe Mortaza, regarded as Bangladesh’s finest captain, has a slightly greater victory percentage in ODIs than Tamim. Tamim guided Bangladesh to third place in the ODI Super League and 21 victories out of his 37 ODI victories while serving as captain, securing their direct qualification for the World Cup in India this October and November. Additionally, in a Test match against New Zealand in 2017, he served as Bangladesh’s captain.
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