In a surprising twist, Bangladesh cricket star Tamim Iqbal has reversed his decision to retire from One Day International (ODI) cricket after a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Just a day after announcing his retirement, Iqbal, accompanied by his wife, former captain Mashrafe Mortaza, and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan, had a meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence in Dhaka. The discussion successfully convinced Iqbal to withdraw his retirement decision, especially considering the upcoming ICC World Cup scheduled within the next three months.
ESPNcricinfo reports confirm that Iqbal will be granted a six-week rest period to recover from his injury. Following the meeting, Iqbal expressed his inability to refuse the most important person in the country, referring to Prime Minister Hasina. The involvement of Mashrafe Mortaza and Nazmul Hassan proved instrumental in persuading Iqbal to reconsider his retirement. Hassan confirmed that they sat with Iqbal through the Prime Minister and managed to change his mind. He clarified that Iqbal will not retire but will instead take a six-week break to focus on rehabilitation and regain his physical and mental fitness, with the intention of making a comeback to cricket in the near future.
Tamim Iqbal’s retirement announcement was initially marked by emotional moments as he broke down several times during his 13-minute monologue. It is worth noting that Iqbal had already retired from T20I cricket last year and played his final Test against Ireland in April. Although he had a remarkable career spanning 16 years, where he showcased his hard-hitting ability and amassed impressive records, it was in the ODIs that he truly shone as a top-order batsman. With 8,313 runs in 241 matches, including 14 centuries (the most by any Bangladeshi player), Iqbal stands as a testament to his country’s cricketing prowess. Among current cricketers, he ranks third in terms of highest run-scorers, surpassed only by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
The turn of events surrounding Tamim Iqbal’s retirement reversal brings relief and excitement to his fans and the cricketing community in Bangladesh. They eagerly await his return to the cricket field, ready to witness his exceptional skills once again.
