Bangladeshi ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal Khan has announced about his retirement from all kind of format in cricket, ending his 16-year long detailed career.
This big decision comes just months short of the ODI World Cup in India.
In the news of Tamim`s sudden press conference announcement on early Thursday, mystery surrounded the cricket crazy nation that what is going to be happened amid the home series against Afghanistan.
“Yesterday against Afghanistan was my last international game. I am retiring from the international cricket, effecting from now on,” Tamim told the press conference which started around 1:30pm on Thursday at Hotel Tower Inn in Jubilee Road of Chattogram.
He wished upcoming Bangladeshi youngsters a good decorated cricket career.
Tamim cried out and said, “I have always said I play cricket to fulfil my father`s dream.”
“Lets put an end to this on my topic, at least for international cricket. Please don`t raise question that why this happened, what should be happened etc. The Team is bigger than any individual. Let`s focus on the team,” Tamim added.
He thanked Bangladesh Cricket Board saying that “I tried my best.”
“I want to tell many things, but as you can see I am unable to speak. I hope you will respect the situation,” the hard-hitter opener batter for Bangladesh men`s cricket team said this bursting into tears.
No sudden decision was behind this announcement, Tamim also notified.
Tamim took over as full-time ODI captain from Mashrafe Mortaza in March 2020 during the home series against Zimbabwe and has lead the team to 21 wins in 37 games. The opener also made a mark on the longest format as well, as his first Test century - against West Indies in Kingstown in 2009 - came in Bangladesh`s first-ever overseas Test win.
The 34-year-old left-hander has been one of the batting pillars of the team, having made his ODI debut in early 2007. The first of his 56 ODI fifties came against India at the ODI World Cup that year when Bangladesh stunned their fellow Asians. His first ODI ton came a year later but he saved his best for an incredible game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Charles Coventry matched the erstwhile highest ODI total of 194 (with Saeed Anwar) but Bangladesh secured the win in chase of 313 as Tamim spearheaded it with a 138-ball 154.
Wednesday`s game was his 241st ODI in which he has amassed 8313 runs - most for Bangladesh in the format. Having played 70 Tests, Tamim has the second-highest tally for Bangladesh batters in the format with 7188 runs. Tamim has also featured in 87 T20Is, a format from which he retired in July 2022.
