Bangladesh’s second most successful batsman has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing his illustrious career to a close.
Tamim Iqbal’s journey in international cricket had already been on pause for some time, but now it has officially come to an end. The nation’s most successful opener will no longer wear the Bangladesh jersey.
On Friday night, Tamim made the announcement on social media. Prior to the Champions Trophy next month, the selection committee met with Tamim twice in Sylhet on Wednesday, but he had requested some time to make his decision. Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain later confirmed that the veteran opener had taken time to reflect on his future.
After playing for Fortune Barishal in the BPL’s Sylhet leg, Tamim returned to Dhaka on Friday morning. Later that night, he informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of his decision.
In his farewell message, Tamim wrote that he didn’t want to distract the team’s focus before the Champions Trophy.
“I have been away from international cricket for a long time, and that distance will not end. My chapter in international cricket is over.”
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. With the Champions Trophy ahead, I don’t want discussions about me to disrupt the team’s focus.”
Tamim’s career has spanned 391 matches across all formats, accumulating 15,249 runs. He is the second most successful batsman in Bangladesh’s history, behind Mushfiqur Rahim, who has scored 15,300 runs. Over the years, Tamim set many records and reached several batting milestones, becoming the first Bangladeshi to achieve many of them. His bat has given the nation many memorable moments in international cricket.
Tamim’s final appearance for Bangladesh was in a home ODI series against New Zealand in September 2023. After that series, he withdrew from the World Cup squad and has not returned to international cricket since.
His last Test match was in April 2023 against Ireland, and he announced his retirement from international T20s in July 2022. Following his departure from the national team before the World Cup, Tamim only participated in domestic leagues like the Dhaka Premier League and BPL. In December 2023, he also opted out of the BCB’s central contract. Despite these decisions, discussions about his return or retirement continued.
Tamim expressed his frustration over these ongoing speculations, saying, “I had already opted out of the central contract over a year ago. Even though some have said that I kept the situation hanging, I’ve been out of the BCB’s contract, so there shouldn’t have been any talk about me being in the team or planning for my return.”
Before the selection committee’s meeting, Bangladesh’s captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, had long conversations with Tamim and urged him to reconsider. Tamim thanked the captain and selectors for their efforts, but he chose to listen to his own heart.
“The captain sincerely asked me to return, and the selectors discussed it with me as well. I appreciate their belief in me, but I’ve followed my heart.”
Despite the emotional impact of the 2023 World Cup experience, Tamim thought about his fans’ love and his son’s wishes. However, he ultimately stuck to his decision.
“What happened before the 2023 World Cup was a big blow for me because I didn’t leave the team for cricketing reasons. Still, wherever I went, many fans expressed that they wanted to see me back in the national team. I thought about their love. At home, I also have a fan—my son. Though he never said it directly, he often told his mother he wanted to see me play again for the country.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint my fans. I tell my son, ‘When you grow up, you’ll understand why I made this decision.'”
