Tamim Iqbal had been named in Bangladesh’s 15-member squad for the ICC World Cup 2023 before he decided to opt out of the tournament. The veteran batter allegedly took this decision on account of restrictions imposed on him, such being asked to sit out of Bangladesh’s opening game, or being asked to bat down the order in their opening game against Afghanistan.
BCB decided not to include Tamim in their 15-member World Cup, on account of inadequate fitness after he complained of discomfort in his back following the second ODI against New Zealand.
Tamim claimed that he was shocked when a top BCB official asked him not to play the opening game against Afghanistan or bat down order if he eventually makes it into the XI through a VDO message (that he put up in his officials Facebook page) hours after the Bangladesh team left for India to play the ICC World Cup.
Cricbuzz has learnt from sources within the BCB, that BCB chief Nazmul Hasan made the offer over a call, which allegedly provoked Tamim to misbehave and use foul language.
Many within the board and the team management feel that Tamim’s behavior was surprising, considering that the call to make Tamim play lower down the order in the opening game against Afghanistan was a tactical move, as opposed to personal vendetta.
“I think he (Tamim) reacted quite surprisingly after the offer was made regarding the opening game (against Afghanistan),” an anonymous member of the team management told Cricbuzz. “He should have realized that he is struggling against Afghanistan and both Fazal Haq and Mujeeb are troubling him. The concept behind putting him down the order was that team management was considering whether he would find it easy to handle Rashid (Khan) as he shouldn’t be troubling him as much he troubles a right-handed batsman being a leg spinner.”
The theory is backed up by numbers: Tamim made 8, 12, 11 in the three-match ODI series at home in 2022, and only managed 13 in the opening game of the home series against Afghanistan that followed, before deciding to retire unexpectedly.
The official insisted that it had nothing to do with skipper Shakib al Hasan and coach Chandika Hathurusingha, contrary to popular belief. However, despite the claims of having no personal vendetta against Tamim, it has been clear that things were frosty between Tamim and the management.
“I have only one fear: what will happen when Tamim (Iqbal) returns to the dressing room?”, a member of Bangladesh Cricket Board high-ups asked the board directors during an emergency meeting that took place after the left-handed opener reversed his retirement, that lasted all of 29 hours.
The officials lay down his fear considering the differences between Tamim and Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who apparently did not want to have someone playing the opening game who openly stated that he was not hundred percent fit.
It did not help that, leading up to the World Cup, Tamim was publicly at loggerheads with current all-format skipper Shakib al Hasan, which allegedly prompted BCB to appoint Khaled Mahmud as team director, to ensure an amicable environment in the dressing room during the World Cup.
When Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan opened the Pandora’s box during an exclusive interview with Cricbuzz, where he revealed for the first time that Tamim and Shakib are not in talking terms.
“I have tried to sit with them and sort out their differences but it did not work and I don’t think there is any point trying it now considering their differences are too big for anyone to comprehend,” a BCB director, closely working with the national team, confirmed to Cricbuzz.
During the second part of the interview that was televised by T-sports on Thursday (September 28), Shakib directly accused Tamim of irresponsible leadership for retiring in the middle of the Afghanistan ODI series. Many feel the series loss against Afghanistan was a big blow for Bangladesh’s ODI set-up as far as their confidence is concerned, given that they have dominated against Afghanistan in 50-over cricket in the past.
“The series loss against Afghanistan is completely due to the fault of one man and that is the captain (Tamim), who abandoned us after the first game. We made a comeback in the third game but we needed time in one game; and that is entirely his responsibility. I don’t think I have ever seen a captain abandoning his players after one game and taking an emotional decision to retire.
“I think if the captain was responsible he wouldn’t have done that and I think it put the team into bad situation, and we are still recovering from that.”
Bangladesh would be keen on leaving behind the controversy and start their World Cup campaign. However, it is easier said than done considering that the whole nation is divided on this issue, with a World Cup campaign looming in conditions that give Bangladesh a good chance to go all the way.
