File photo of Tamim Iqbal
Highlight
- The 32-year-old made the announcement after discussions with the top BCB.
- Tamim was away from Bangladesh’s T20I squad for most of the past 12 months.
- His last T20I was against Zimbabwe in 2020.
Bangladesh’s explosive opener Tamim Iqbal has expressed that he is taking a break from international T20 cricket for the next six months. The decision raised several eyebrows as it also raised a question mark on Iqbal’s participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
However, Tamim said that he may reconsider the decision if the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) asks him again ahead of the World Cup. Although he does not believe it will be needed.
The 32-year-old made the announcement after his discussions with top BCB officials, including chairman Najmul Hasan, who tried to stop him from taking the decision.
Tamim was away from Bangladesh’s T20I squad for most of the past 12 months. His last T20I was against Zimbabwe in 2020, after which he missed the remaining three-match series due to a knee injury.
He also voluntarily withdrew from last year’s T20 World Cup tournament to give other openers like Liton Das. Soumya Sarkar and Mohamed Naeem’s Opportunities. Tamim had said at the time that since he had missed out on the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, it was only fair for him to skip the tournament.
At a press conference in Chattogram on Thursday, the opener said that it was a cricketing decision and his focus is on Tests and ODIs this year but he will only reconsider T20Is if the conditions turn difficult for the team.
“There have been discussions about my T20I future. In the last few days, I have been meeting with BCB president (Nazmul Hasan), Jalal (Younus) bhai and Qazi Inam (Ahmed). They wanted me to continue T20I till the world. Keep it. Cup (this year). I had a different kind of thinking. I will not consider T20Is for the next six months. My entire focus will be on Tests and ODIs,” Tamim was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“We are preparing to qualify for the World Test Championship and the 2023 World Cup. I will not think about T20Is in the next six months. I hope the players will do well enough that the team will not need me in T20Is. But if God forbid the team or the cricket board needs me and I am ready then I will think about it.
Tamim is Bangladesh’s third highest run-scorer in T20Is. He has played 74 T20Is for Bangladesh and four for World XI teams – three in Pakistan in 2017 and one against West Indies at Lord’s in 2018. He has scored 1701 runs for Bangladesh at an average of 24.65 and a strike rate of 117.47, while his overall T20I record is 1758 runs at 24.08 and a strike rate of 116.96.
The attacking batsman, who has Bangladesh’s only century in T20 cricket, will continue to play in the domestic T20 league, having already scored two fifties for Minister Group Dhaka in the current BPL.
Tamim insisted that the new players to be tried in his place should be given a longer rope and feels six months is a good time.
“We gave chances to a lot of youngsters in the last (T20I) series. We can’t lose hope from them early. We have to give them time. I think six months is a good time. I am sure I won.” It is not needed in T20 Internationals. Nevertheless, if the team management or the cricket board feels otherwise, I will be open to discussion.
“The team has to move on. You know my stand before the last T20 World Cup (to give more opportunities to the young openers), so it would not be wise to judge after one or two series. Many of us The senior went through three or four bad series and then came back with three good series in a row. Considering the guys who will be playing in my place, I am sure they will find their feet and do well.”
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