Tamim Iqbal, a 34-year-old left-handed opener from Bangladesh, has decided to come out of retirement after meeting with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday. The meeting took place at the Prime Minister’s residence and involved Tamim’s wife, former captain Mashrafe Mortaza, and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan.
Initially, Litton Das was appointed as the interim captain for the second and third ODIs against Afghanistan following Tamim’s retirement. However, with Tamim reversing his decision, the captaincy situation may be reevaluated.
Tamim had announced his sudden retirement from international cricket on July 6, just one day after leading his team in the first ODI against Afghanistan in Chittagong. Overwhelmed with emotions, he tearfully declared his retirement during a press conference, expressing gratitude to his teammates, coaches, BCB officials, family members, and fans who supported him throughout his 16-year international career.
Tamim leaves behind an impressive record in international cricket, scoring over 15,000 runs, including 25 centuries. In ODI cricket, he amassed 8,313 runs, which is the highest by any Bangladeshi player, and scored 14 centuries, a record among his fellow countrymen.