Tamim Iqbal, a cricketing great from Bangladesh, has put a stop to rumors that he will be playing in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by formally ending his international career. The 35-year-old opener, who has been an integral part of Bangladesh’s batting for more than ten years, said that he wanted to stay out of the way of the current team’s success.
After briefly considering a comeback, Tamim—who made his international debut in 2007—resigned from international cricket in June 2023. He finally left the sport in September of the same year. There was a lot of back and forth about why he wasn’t included to Bangladesh’s ICC World Cup 2023 roster.
“I have been away from international cricket for a long time,” Tamim wrote in an emotional statement about his retirement. We will never be able to cross that divide again. My career in international cricket has come to a close. I don’t want to be someone who draws attention away from the squad as the Champions Trophy approaches; this is something I’ve given a lot of consideration to.
The ex-captain came clean about the fact that he had been approached by the BCB and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto regarding a possible comeback. He thanked them for having trust in him, but said he was at peace with his decision.
I held conversations with the selection committee and Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto truly requested my return. It makes me happy that they thought I was still deserving. But I did what my heart told me. What transpired leading up to the 2023 World Cup shocked me much; it had nothing to do with cricket whatsoever. “I still couldn’t let that go,” Tamim said.
The support and affection from his family and followers, particularly his kid, was something else that Tamim talked about.
I received a lot of messages from supporters who wanted to see me play for Bangladesh again. Even though he never explicitly stated it, my kid would frequently inform his mom that he wished he could see me wearing the national jersey once more. I apologize for letting them down. I tell my youngster, “You will understand your father’s decision when you grow up.”
Mushfiqur Rahim just broke Tamim’s record of 15,192 runs, which he had amassed over his stellar career while representing Bangladesh in 387 international matches. And yet, with 8,357 runs in 240 matches, he still leads all Bangladeshi one-day international run scorers, and he also has the record for most international centuries (25) among Bangladeshi players.
