Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal decided to step down from ODI captaincy after he had a meeting with the BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon at the latter’s residence in Gulshan on Thursday.
Tamim’s decision came only a few days after he arrived home on July 31 after taking a series of injections for his back injury treatment in England.
The 34-year-old was expected to complete a week-long rest to see where he stands following the injections and also sit with the board members to decide about his captaincy future.
But he chose to sit with the BCB boss and the cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus on Thursday and after the meeting, he announced his stepping down decision.
“As you know I had an important meeting with Jalal bhai and Papon bhai. We have discussed what will happen going forward. Today I step down as Bangladesh cricket team ODI captain,” Tamim said.
“I have taken injections but those treatments are almost hit and miss at this point. I have spoken of my problems with them and over anything else, I have always thought about the team first.
“Stepping down would be the best possible thing. I talked to the PM today and I gave her the message as well and she made me understand everything nicely. Main thing is, for the betterment of the team, I should step down as captain and try to give my best as a player whenever the opportunity comes.
“The extra time is so that I can return for the New Zealand series in the best possible shape,” he added.
Meanwhile, during the same press meet, BCB’s cricket operation chairman Jalal said Tamim won’t be available in the upcoming Asia Cup.
Earlier on July 6, Tamim shocked the whole cricketing fraternity when he announced a sudden retirement decision from international cricket during an emotional press conference in Chattogram.
However, after the intervention from the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tamim had to reverse his decision within 29 hours.
Despite Tamim’s returning back from retirement, he remained a constant figure in the news due to his back problem and whether Bangladesh would get his service in the upcoming two global tournaments or not was yet to be sorted out.
Tamim got the full-time ODI captaincy following the departure of Mashrafe bin Mortaza from the role in March 2020 during the series against touring Zimbabwe.
Under his captaincy, the Tigers won 21 matches and lost 14 out of 37 ODIs and he (56.75%) finished with the second-highest percentage of win record in this format among all Bangladeshi captains after Mashrafe (56.81%).
BDST: 0952 HRS, AUGUST 04, 2023
MSK
