Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, the star cricketer for Bangladesh, met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and decided to call-off his unexpected retirement from the game.
A day after leading his team to a 17-run loss in the opening of a three-match one-day series against Afghanistan, the experienced opener announced on Thursday that his international career will end immediately.
However, on Friday, Jalal Yunus, director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), told that Tamim had a change of heart after speaking with Hasina at her home in the capital city of Dhaka.
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“Tamim Iqbal has withdrawn his retirement decision,” Yunus said.
“However, he will take a six-week rest to regain fitness. He has been under physical and mental pressure in the past six months, which affected his performance,” Yunus added.
Meanwhile, Tamim on his Instagram account posted a picture of him with Hasina with the caption: “Can’t say no to the Honorable Prime Minister”
Following Tamim's news conference on Thursday, BCB President Nazmul Hassan delivered sharp criticism, questioning the batsman's professionalism for playing the match despite admitting he wasn't fully fit.
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Hours after wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das was selected captain for the remaining games of the series against Afghanistan, the 34-year-old player met with the prime minister. Liton claimed Tamim's resignation caught the team off guard earlier in the day.
“None of us could realise this decision was coming,” he told reporters. “He gave the Bangladesh team a lot for so many years.”
Tamim's international career got off in 2007 with an ODI game against Zimbabwe. Later that year, when Bangladesh defeated India in the World Cup in the West Indies, he gained instant notoriety after scoring the game-winning half-century.
In 241 ODIs, he averaged 36.62 and led Bangladesh in runs (8,313) and hundreds (14) scored. He ranks third among active cricketers in terms of runs scored, after India's Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Before retiring from that form in July 2022, Tamim amassed 5,134 runs in 70 test matches, the second-highest total for Bangladesh, and added 1,758 runs in 87 T20 internationals.
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