Injured Tamim Iqbal quits ODI captaincy ahead of Asia Cup
He made his international debut in 2007
Tamim Iqbal has announced he is stepping down as Bangladesh’s ODI captain following his recurring back injury which has reportedly ruled him out of the upcoming Asia Cup.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Iqbal decided to resign from the captaincy to give more clarity and time to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) so they can find a replacement in some time for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
It has to be mentioned that this decision by Iqbal comes less than a month after he withdrew his retirement after a meeting with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
However, Tamim has stated that he has already conveyed his decision to the prime minister.
"I believe injury is an issue," Tamim said. "I took an injection [on July 28], but it is like a hit or miss. I have told them [the board] about the problem. I have always helped the team over everything else.
“So keeping that in mind, stepping down is the best possible decision. I want to give my best as a player whenever the opportunity comes. I have spoken to the prime minister, and she understood."
Bangladesh’s cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus said that the 36-year-old is out of the Asia Cup, which begins on August 30.
"He has been suffering from an injury in his L4 and L5 in his back," Jalal said. "He has been in treatment for almost a year. He went abroad, and consulted several doctors. Recently, he consulted a doctor in London.
"If he undergoes surgery, returning [soon] will be very difficult. He is unlikely to do that, so we are expecting him to return for the New Zealand series."
As of now, Tamim’s goal is to return for the home series against New Zealand which will start on September 21, just two weeks before the World Cup, if he manages to play in that series with no problems, he will be a part of Bangladesh’s World Cup squad.
Left-handed opener Tamim amassed 15,000-plus runs in international cricket, including 25 centuries.
He accumulated 8,313 runs in ODI cricket, which is the highest by a Bangladesh batter and his 14 tons in this format is also higher than any of his compatriots
