Legendary Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket days after speculation that he could make himself available for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
With a big tournament like the Champions Trophy looming around, there was little hope that Tamim might return to the international fold for the last time. However, the left-handed opener has decided to call time on his glorious career.
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Tamim Iqbal announces retirement for the second time
This is the second time that Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket, having previously retired in July 2023. His earlier retirement came in an emotional press conference.
However, an intervention by the then prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, caused him to reverse his decision within 24 hours. Sheikh Hasina called on Tamim at her own residence and former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was also involved in the meeting.
The Gaz Ashraf Hossain-led Bangladesh selection panel had earlier asked Tamim Iqbal to return for the Champions Trophy 2025 due to his immense experience at the international level. But he informed them that he would stand by his decision to retire and not change it.
He took a day more to reconsider his decision after Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto asked him to reconsider his decision, but he did not change it. He announced his decision in a Facebook post thanking everyone for supporting him.
Tamim Iqbal decides to stay away from the Champions Trophy
Tamim claimed that he did not want to be in the limelight at an important time when the team will be selected for the Champions Trophy. According to him, he does not want to consider himself in international cricket as he has not played high-level cricket for a long time.
“I have been away from international cricket for some time and the gap will not close. My chapter in international cricket is over,” Tamim wrote in the Facebook post.
“I've been thinking about it for a while, and with the Champions Trophy ahead of me, I don't want talk about me to distract the team. I have long distanced myself from the national contract for this reason, although the press. sometimes it suggests otherwise,” he added.
“For someone who doesn't have a contract with BCB for a year, there's no point in talking like that. Every cricketer has the right to decide his future and I took my time to make that decision. Now, I feel the time has come,” claimed Iqbal.
“Captain Nazmul Hossain has honestly asked me to come back and I have also spoken to the selection panel. I am thankful that I think I am still capable, but I followed my heart,” he revealed.
“It was shocking for me to retire before the 2023 World Cup, not for cricketing reasons. However, everywhere I went, the fans expressed their desire to see me back in the national team. I deeply appreciated the love and support them,” said the former. Bangladesh opener added.
“My son didn't tell me directly, but he told his mother that he wants to see me in the national team shirt. I'm sorry to disappoint the fans and told my son, “When you grow up, you'll understand your father. decision'”, he concluded.
Prolific figures in international cricket
Tamim Iqbal retires as Bangladesh's second most prolific batsman in all formats. He has scored 15192 runs in all formats at an average of 35.41 with 20 hundreds and 82 fifties. He is just behind Mushqiqur Rahim in terms of the country's all-time leading run-scorers.
He is the second highest run scorer for Bangladesh in Test cricket with 5134 runs in 70 matches. In ODIs, he is Bangladesh's leading run-getter with 8357 runs in 243 matches at an average of 36.65 and a strike rate of 78.52 with 14 hundreds to his name.
Tamim Iqbal is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League 2025 where he has scored 161 runs in five matches at an average of 40.25 and a strike rate of 151.88 where he is managing Fortune Barishal.