Bangladesh's veteran batter Tamim Iqbal opens up about potential return to national team
Mar 02, 2024
New Delhi [India], March 2 : Former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal opened up about a potential return to the national team ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup which is slated to begin in June this year.
Tamim on Friday lifted the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) trophy with Fortune Barishal. The experienced left-handed batter produced some clinical performance as the skipper of the team throughout the campaign.
While addressing a press conference, Tamim stated that a lot of things "have to be right" if he was to return to the national team.
"I would like to say one thing clearly. For me to come back, a lot of things have to be right otherwise there's no point for me to just come back and play," Tamim said as quoted from ICC.
"I am at a stage of my career where I would probably play for another two years. So I need to tell them such things, and since I did not have a final talk with them, it won't be appropriate for me to comment here," he added.
Last year Tamim announced retirement during the ODI series against Afghanistan. He met Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina and decided to reverse his decision. He went on to leave captaincy after suffering a back injury which ruled him out of the Asia Cup.
Tamim went on to miss the ODI World Cup and made his last appearance for the national team in September during the 50-over series against New Zealand.
Since he last made his appearance for the Tigers, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has seen a new chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain who replaced Minhajul Abedin. Tamim revealed that he is yet to have a communication with the chief selector.
"I haven't spoken with him (new chief selector) yet. I was in communication with Jalal bhai (Jalal Yunus). I was available for a talk, but unfortunately, we didn't get the opportunity. I will be travelling abroad tomorrow morning, and hopefully, after I return, we will sit," he said.
Tamim spoke about his teammate, Mushfiqur Rahim who played with him in their title-winning run. The veteran batter feels if Mushfiqur comes out of retirement it will help the Bangladesh team.
"If he (Mushfiqur) decides to make a comeback .., there are several examples of legendary cricketers who played cricket after coming back from retirement and the way he batted if he decides to make a comeback (in T20Is), it will benefit Bangladesh, and nothing can be better than that," he concluded.