Bangladesh ODI Captain Tamim Iqbal Retires from International Cricket Ahead of World Cup

Chattogram: Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket after an illustrious 16-year career. The unexpected decision was revealed during an emotional press conference in Chattogram, just months ahead of the World Cup in India.

During the press conference, Tamim expressed his gratitude to his teammates, coaches, officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), family members, and fans who supported him throughout his journey. With tears streaming down his face, he declared, “This is the end for me. I have given my best. I am retiring from international cricket from this moment.”

Having previously retired from T20Is last year and played his final Test match against Ireland in April, Tamim leaves behind a remarkable legacy. He made his ODI debut in 2007 as a teenager and played a crucial role in the 2007 World Cup, where he scored a match-winning fifty against India.

Tamim’s retirement comes with impressive records to his name. He finishes his ODI career as Bangladesh’s highest run-scorer, accumulating 8313 runs and 14 centuries, placing him third among current cricketers. In Test cricket, he amassed 5134 runs with 10 centuries in 70 matches, ranking him as the second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has yet to announce a successor to the ODI captaincy, with Shakib Al Hasan leading the team in T20Is and Litton Das holding the Test captaincy. Tamim’s leadership as ODI captain boasts a slightly higher win percentage than Mashrafe Mortaza, with 21 victories out of 37 matches.

Tamim’s retirement comes after he successfully guided Bangladesh to a third-place finish in the ODI Super League, securing direct qualification for the upcoming World Cup in India. He also captained the team in a Test match against New Zealand in 2017.