Bangladesh’s star player and skipper, Tamim Iqbal, made a shocking announcement of his retirement from international cricket on Thursday. His decision came after Bangladesh lost the first ODI of the three-match series to Afghanistan. This decision came as a surprise because the World Cup 2023 is just three months away and the skipper will no longer play international cricket. The 34-year-old broke down in tears during the press conference as he bid farewell to his 16-year career.
Tamim is the most successful batsman of Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal is the most successful batsman of Bangladesh with 8313 runs in the 241 ODIs he played, which includes 14 centuries and 56 half centuries. Last year, on June 17, Tamim announced his retirement from T20s, and right after one year, he decided to bid farewell to ODIs and tests as well. Though the reason behind his surprising retirement is still unknown, it is believed that his alleged feud with Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha and BCB president Najmul Hossain played a role in it.
Candidates for captaincy replacement
Bangladesh have not yet announced a replacement, but the candidates for captaincy are likely either Shakib-al-Hasan or Liton Das, as they both lead the team in T20 and tests, respectively. Yesterday, while announcing his retirement, Tamim stated, This is the end for me, and I have given my best. Now I Am retiring from international cricket, and yesterday was my last international match against Afghanistan. It wasn’t a sudden decision, there are different reasons, but I will not mention them here”.
Tamim thanked everyone who supported him
The batsman thanked all his teammates, coaches, BCB officials, family members, and people who supported him throughout the cricket journey. He also thanked the fans who kept faith in him and asked them to keep him in their prayers as he will be entering a new chapter of his life. In the last one year, Tamim hasn’t played much cricket as he was recovering from a thumb injury and then a groin injury due to a lower back problem. He missed the series against Pakistan and New Zealand. Tamim led Bangladesh in 37 ODIs, out of which the team has won 20, which is the highest among all 15 skippers who have ever led Bangladesh. His win percentage is 60 percent, and after him it is Mashrafe Mortaza with a 58.13 percent win percentage.
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