C T Online Desk: If the recovery goes well, Tamim will return with the ODI home series against NZ in mid-September and also play the Cricket World Cup 2023.
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has stepped down as the one-day international captain.
The left-handed batter made the announcement following a meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan, cricket operations committee chairman Jalal Younus and other high-ups Thursday evening.
Tamim’s decision has come on the back of a lot of uncertainty regarding his availability as the cricketer is still recovering from a recurrent lower-back injury.
It has also been determined in the meeting that Tamim will not be available in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 as the timeline is too less for the cricketer to recuperate and gain match fitness.
If the recovery goes well, Tamim will return with the ODI home series against New Zealand in mid-September and also play the Cricket World Cup 2023.
Tamim last week travelled to England for treatment of the injury and took two injections in the lumbar as part of the pain relief management.
“I had a detailed discussion with our board president Nazmul bhai and cricket operations chairman Jalal bhai. I have decided to step down as the ODI captain. This is mainly because of my injury. Because of my injury I am not being able to determine my availability. Jalal bhai will explain more on that. I have informed the same to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and she has given her valuable advice to us,” said Tamim in the press meet, sitting alongside Nazmul and director Jalal.
Jalal confirmed Tamim’s unavailability in the Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka later this month.
“Tamim since taking the injections on July 28 has been put in two weeks’ rest. The first week was full rest which will end [Friday] and he can start light rehab from the second week. So, looking at the timeline we have decided that it will be too much of a rush for him to get ready for the Asia Cup. The team are scheduled to leave Dhaka on August 26. If everything goes according to plan, Tamim will return with the home series against New Zealand,” informed Jalal.
Nazmul informed that it was a surprise for them to know of Tamim’s decision to step down as skipper.
However, taking the situation into consideration, he believes the decision is the best for the team ahead of two major events in the Asia Cup and World Cup.
“We are surprised of his decision, to be honest. We will now have to find the captain quick who will carry us in the Asia Cup and World Cup. We were not prepared for this. We will have to sit and discuss this with the board soon. But I am not worried as to me everyone in the team is captain, let it be Shakib [al Hasan], Tamim or Mushfiqur [Rahim]. They are there to guide the team. The important thing now is for Tamim to recover and play well for Bangladesh in the World Cup,” said Nazmul to the media.
Tamim while speaking of his tenure as captain of the ODI side said he believes he has done a good job and thanked the team for the support he got in the dressing room and on the field.
Under Tamim, Bangladesh played 37 ODIs since 2019 and won 21 games, including a fine run of results in the World Cup Super League 2023 where they finishing third and qualified for the mega event well in advance.
“The journey was fantastic. Result will speak for itself. I have done a very good job as a skipper I believe. It would have been selfish of me to hold onto the captaincy at this point as I am not sure of the matches that I will be available for going ahead [due to the injury]. I always put my team ahead. Whenever I am in the XI, the captain will have my full support. I will do my best to support the team,” said Tamim.
“I think the aim is common [for the World Cup], which is to do really well whether I am captain or not. There is nothing new to say to the team. It will be wrong if I say I am not sad. At the end of the day people do take selfish decisions but when it comes to the team and country, you have to think of the team and country first. I thought of the team and country first rather than my own satisfaction. The Prime Minister understood the situation, told me to be in the field and wished us well,” he added.
