Tamim Iqbal's omission from World Cup squad: All we know
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has found itself in hot waters following a series of allegations from veteran opener Tamim Iqbal. The southpaw was a notable exclusion from Bangladesh's 15-member squad for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. In a video message on Facebook, Tamim termed his omission a "dirty game" from BCB. Here are further details.
Tamim's back injury concerns
Tamim was Bangladesh's ODI skipper a few months back and was set to lead the team in the WC. In July 2023, he announced his international retirement only to unretire a day after following a conversation with the Bangladesh Prime Minister. The veteran, however, stepped down as captain due to his back issues. He even skipped the 2023 Asia Cup due to the same.
Comeback in NZ series
The recently-concluded ODI series against NZ marked Tamim's comeback. While rain did not allow him to bat in the opener, he made a gutsy 44 in the second match. However, his back concerns resurfaced and he missed the final game. During the press conference after the WC squad was announced, BCB's selection panel members claimed that Tamim was omitted due to his injury issues.
Tamim denies the claims
Tamim, however, has denied the claims and stated that the medical department had passed him fit to play without any conditions. The batter claimed that he himself asked the selectors to not consider him after certain conditions were put in front of him. Tamim said a "top-leveled BCB official" told him to miss Bangladesh's WC opener against Afghanistan.
Here is what Tamim said
"He told, 'do one thing, you don't play the opening game against Afghanistan'. I told him look there is still 10 to 12 days and in 12-13 days I will be in good state so why I should not be playing?" Tamim claimed. "Then he said, 'if you play, we are planning to send you down the order'."
Tamim not ready to comprise
Tamim said he was not comfortable to bat in the middle order as he has been an opener throughout his career. "I am playing in the same position for last 17 years and I never batted at three or four. If I was batting at three or four and later my batting position was changed, in that case it could be adjusted."
Tamim did not want to participate in "dirty games"
"I was feeling that I am forced in lot of areas willingly, like it is going well let's do something new [to irritate him]," he stated. "I said that if you are thinking like this then don't send me because I don't want to be part of this dirty game" Tamim even said he would have been absolutely fit for the game against Afghanistan.
Highest run-getter for Bangladesh in ODIs
Tamim is Bangladesh's highest run-getter in ODIs with 8,357 runs in 243 games at 36.65 (100s: 14, 50s: 56). His tally of 5,134 runs in 70 Tests at 38.89 is only second to Mushfiqur Rahim (5,553) among Bangladesh batters (100s: 10, 50s: 31). With 1,758 in 78 games at 24.08, Tamim is Bangladesh's third-highest run-getter in T20Is (50s: 7, 100: 1).
Shakib slams Tamim
Tamim's long-time teammate and Bangladesh's current skipper Shakib Al Hasan slammed the former, calling his behavior childish. "If he sometimes bats at No 3 or 4, would it be a big problem? It is totally childish. It is my bat, I will play. No one else can play. A player should bat at any position for the team," Shakib told the Dhaka-based channel T-Sports.
