Bangladesh’s star batsman Tamim Iqbal has had a change of heart about his international retirement. The 34-year-old left-hander, who announced his exit from the game on Sunday, decided to continue playing after meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.
Tamim’s retirement came as a shock to many, as he is Bangladesh’s most prolific run-scorer in all formats, with over 15,000 runs and 25 centuries. He had already quit T20Is last year and played his last Test in April, but was expected to lead the ODI team in the upcoming World Cup.
However, after losing the first ODI against Afghanistan in Chattogram, Tamim called a press conference and declared that he was done with international cricket. He said he had given his best and tried his best, but felt it was time to move on.
His decision was met with mixed reactions from fans and former players, some of whom urged him to reconsider. One of them was his former captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who accompanied him to the prime minister’s residence along with BCB president Nazmul Hassan.
Tamim later posted a photo of his meeting with PM Hasina on Instagram, saying that he could not say no to her. He did not reveal what they discussed, but it is believed that she persuaded him to postpone his retirement and play for the country.
Tamim is now expected to join the squad for the remaining two ODIs against Afghanistan and prepare for the World Cup in February. He will also have to face the challenge of finding a new opening partner, as Liton Das has also announced his retirement from ODIs.
