Legendary Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket days after speculations that he might make himself available for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
With a major tournament like the Champions Trophy looming, there was hope that Tamim would return to the international tournament for the last time. However, the left-hander has decided to call time on his illustrious career.
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Tamim Iqbal announces his retirement for the second time
Tamim Iqbal announces his retirement from international cricket for the second time after retiring in July 2023. His previous retirement came in an emotional press conference.
But the intervention of the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, made him reverse his decision within 24 hours. Sheikh Hasina called on Tamim at her residence and former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was also present in the meeting.
Bangladesh’s Gaz Ashraf Hossain-led selection panel had earlier asked Tamim Iqbal to return for the Champions Trophy 2025 due to his extensive experience at the international level. However, he stated that he will stick to his decision to retire and will not change it.
He took a day longer to reconsider his decision after Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto asked him to reconsider but did not change it. He announced his decision through a Facebook post in which he thanked everyone who supported him.
Tamim Iqbal decides to stay away from the Champions Trophy
Tamim claimed that he did not want to be in the limelight at an important time when the team will be selected for the Champions Trophy. According to him, he does not want to consider himself in international cricket as he has not played high-level cricket for a long time.
“I have been away from international cricket for a long time and the gap will not be closed. My chapter in international cricket is over,” Tamim wrote in a Facebook post.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I don’t want the discussions about me to distract the team due to the upcoming Champions Cup. That’s why I’ve been away from the national contract for a long time. Sometimes he offers otherwise,” he added.
“For someone who is out of BCB contract for a year, there is no point in such discussions. Every cricketer has the right to decide his future and I have taken my time to make that decision. Now I feel the time has come,” Iqbal asserted.
“Captain Nazmul Hossain sincerely asked me to come back and I also spoke to the selectors. I am grateful to them that they believe I am still capable, but I followed my heart,” he said.
“It was a shock for me to leave before the 2023 World Cup, not because of cricket. Still, wherever I went, the fans expressed their desire to see me back in the national team. I thought deeply of their love and support.” Bangladesh key added.
“My son didn’t tell me directly, but he told his mother that he wants to see me in the national team. I’m sorry for disappointing the fans and he told my son that when you get older you will understand what his father is. decision'” he concluded.
Prolific numbers in international cricket
Tamim Iqbal retires as Bangladesh’s second most prolific batsman across all formats. He averaged 35.41 with 15,192 runs, 20 hundreds and 82 fifties across all formats. He is just behind Mushqigur Rahim in terms of the country’s all-time top scorers.
He is the second highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in Test cricket with 5134 runs in 70 matches. 8357 runs in 243 matches in ODIs at an average of 36.65 and 14 hundreds at a strike rate of 78.52 is Bangladesh’s highest run-scorer.
Tamim Iqbal is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League 2025 where he has scored 161 runs in five matches at an average of 40.25 and a strike rate of 151.88 leading Fortune Barishal.
