Tamim Iqbal, the captain of Bangladesh’s one-day team, announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday (July 6), abruptly ending a 16-year career at the top level. Due to a stiff back, the veteran hitter missed the lone Test against Afghanistan last month but was available for the ODI series. He played in the opening ODI on Wednesday, however, he has since announced his retirement with immediate effect. This significant choice is made just three months before the India ODI World Cup. In the 50-over format, Litton Das serves as Tamim’s backup; however, it is unclear whether he will take over for the ODIs after leading in the lone Test against Afghanistan.
“It was not an impulsive choice. I’ve discussed things with my family. In a tearful press conference, Tamim added, “I always claimed I played to accomplish the ambition of my father.
“I’m at a loss for words. I tried my best, I’ll say that much for sure. I gave it my all. Perhaps I wasn’t good or good enough. I’m not sure. However, once I was on the job, I gave it my all, Tamim added.
His 241st ODI, in which he scored the most runs for Bangladesh with 8313, took place on Wednesday. Only Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have more goals among active players. Tamim has played 70 Tests and has 5134 runs, which ranks second among hitters from Bangladesh in the format. Additionally, Tamim has played in 87 T20Is, from which he retired in July 2022. In addition to being one of Bangladesh’s top all-format batsmen, he leaves the game as the only player from his nation to have scored a century in every Test, ODI, and T20I.
The 34-year-old left-hander, who made his ODI debut in early 2007, has been one of the team’s batting leaders. When Bangladesh shocked their fellow Asians in the ODI World Cup that year, it was the first of his 56 ODI fifties against India. A year later, he scored his first ODI century, but he kept his best for an outstanding game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Charles Coventry and Saeed Anwar tied the previous record for the highest ODI total (194), but Tamim’s 138-ball 154 propelled Bangladesh to victory in their pursuit of 313 runs. He even outperformed that in 2020, scoring 158 in a close victory over the same opposition.
Mashrafe Mortaza stepped down as the team’s permanent ODI captain in March 2020. Tamim has since led the team to 21 victories in 37 games. The longest format also had an impact on the opener. His first Test century came in Bangladesh’s first-ever overseas Test victory over the West Indies in Kingstown in 2009. In total, he amassed 10 Test centuries, including a brisk 206 off just 278 balls in 2015 at Khulna against Pakistan.
