Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal retires from international cricket ahead of Champions Trophy
Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal retires from international cricket ahead of Champions Trophy
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The 35-year-old says he did not want to be a distraction for the team amid rumours he could be selected for the squad. Former Bangladesh one-day captain Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from international cricket, saying he did not wish to be a distraction for the team ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Tamim made his international debut in a 2007 One-Day International (ODI) against Zimbabwe in Harare. He played 243 ODIs, 70 tests and 78 Twenty20 internationals (T20Is). Tamim previously retired from international cricket a few months before the 50-overs World Cup in India in 2023, but reversed that decision in a day. He then missed out on the World Cup due to a back injury.
The 35-year-old scored over 15,000 runs across all formats and hit 25 centuries - the most by any Bangladesh batter. He last played for Bangladesh in their 2-0 ODI series defeat at home against New Zealand in September 2023. “I have been away from international cricket for a long time. That distance will remain. My chapter in international cricket is over,” he wrote in a post on social media.
“I have been thinking about this for a long time. Now that a big event like the Champions Trophy is coming up, I do not want to be the focus of anyone’s attention, which could lead to the team losing their focus.”. The Champions Trophy will take place in Pakistan from Feb. 19-March 9. Bangladesh are in Group A, alongside hosts and defending champions Pakistan, New Zealand and India.
