Vaibhav Tripathi
Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh ODI captain, has made the surprising decision to retire from international cricket with immediate effect.
This announcement comes on the heels of Bangladesh’s loss in the first ODI of their current series against Afghanistan, where they fell short by 17 runs. Moreover, Tamim’s retirement comes as a significant blow to Bangladesh’s chances in the upcoming World Cup to be held in India in October-November this year.
Tamim, who made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2007, accumulated 8313 runs at an average of just over 36. It is worth noting that Tamim has already retired from T20Is and Tests.
“This is the end for me. I have given my best. I have tried my best. I am retiring from international cricket from this moment. Yesterday against Afghanistan was my last international game. I am retiring from international cricket effective right now. It was not a sudden decision. I was thinking about the different reasons. I don’t want to mention here. I have spoken to my family members about it. I thought this is the right time for me to retire from international cricket,” Tamim Iqbal told reporters.
“I want to thank all my team-mates, coaches, BCB officials, my family members, and those who have been with me through my long journey. They kept faith in me. I also want to thank the fans. Your love and faith in me inspired me to give my very best for Bangladesh. I want to ask for your prayers for the next chapter of my life. Please keep me in your prayers,” Tamim added.