Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has decided to step down as the captain of the Bangladesh ODI team. He will miss the upcoming Asia Cup, scheduled to take place later this month in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“Tamim decided to step down as the captain,” stated Nazmul Hasan, the board president, during a press conference held in Gulshan on Thursday afternoon.
The press conference, which was supposed to commence at around 8 pm at the board president's residence, faced a delay of one hour, adding to the drama of the day in Bangladeshi cricket. The cricketing fraternity of the country anxiously awaited Tamim's fate with the Bangladesh team throughout the entire day.
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Nazmul added: "Tamim took this decision keeping the team's best interests in mind. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation for his injury and wants to come back fully fit. We are expecting him to be ready ahead of the New Zealand series at home."
The board is yet to announce the next captain for the ODI team. Nazmul said they would talk with the board and players before appointing the new captain.
Jalal Yunus, the chairman of the cricket operation committee of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), said that Tamim would be unable to practise with full intensity until August 20. Consequently, he will miss the Asia Cup, as the Bangladesh team is scheduled to leave for the tournament on August 26.
Before the dramatic press conference, Tamim had a meeting with the board president, members of the medical team of the board, and the board president himself.
Several issues were discussed during the meeting, including whether Tamim wanted to continue as captain, whether he had a good understanding with the head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, and what his plan was to manage his injuries.
"My journey as the captain of the Bangladesh ODI team was fantastic," Tamim said. "The results speak for themselves. Now it would be very selfish of me to continue as the captain."
The Tamim-saga began with his abrupt retirement decision in early July. This decision not only shook the cricketing arena of the country but also caught the attention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had to intervene. After a meeting with her, Tamim revealed that "he couldn't say no to the head of the government" and changed his mind, deciding to continue playing for Bangladesh.
Tamim had initially made the retirement decision in response to the board president's harsh criticism, which arose due to his decision to play the first Afghanistan ODI despite not being fully fit during the last home series. Prior to that match in Chattogram, Tamim had stated that he would play to assess the status of his injury.
The board president, in a conversation with a Bengali daily just a day later, asserted that a captain cannot assess his fitness in an international match. He also mentioned that the head coach did not take Tamim's remark lightly, stating, "this is not gully cricket."
Tamim led the Bangladesh ODI team in 37 matches, emerging victorious in 21 of them. Under his leadership, the Tigers secured a place in the World Cup taking place later this year in India through the World Cup Super League. If Tamim can successfully overcome his injury, he might still be a part of the Bangladesh team as a player in the World Cup.
"I will be sad," Tamim said. "But everyone's dream is the same. When it comes to the team, we have to set aside our individuality. I made this decision thinking about the team's future."