After getting snubbed from the Bangladesh squad of ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, veteran left-hand opener Tamim Iqbal posted an emotional video on social media, quoting it as a “dirty game” and revealing shocking facts, hitting out at a senior Bangladesh Cricket Board official.
Earlier, Bangladesh announced their 15-member squad on Tuesday late at night leaving out Tamim Iqbal citing a ‘back injury’.
Tamim in his video revealed, “Someone called me from the top level of the board who is very involved with our cricket. He said that if you go to the World Cup you have to play the matches by managing your (back) injury. So, you better do one thing, don’t play the first match against Afghanistan (on 7 October)."
“I replied that the Afghanistan match is still 12/13 days away. In 12/13 days I will be in better condition. Why shouldn’t I play? Then, he said that if you play you have to bat down the order."
“After hearing this I am shocked as I have never in my 17-year career batted down the order. I feel like I’m being forced to do many things. I said, ‘Look, if you have such thoughts then don’t send me. I don’t want to be in this mess. "
"I don’t want to be part of this dirty game. You make me face something new every day. I don’t want to stay here.”
Tamim Iqbal also stated that he had planned to board the plane for India, refuting allegations in the local media that the veteran opener had informed the team's management that he would only be available for 5 World Cup games.
"I was very happy after that game, 44 is not a big score but I was very happy at the way I batted. I felt confident.”
“The medical department believed that if I was rested and played the second warm-up match (against England) on 2 October, I would get enough time (to prepare) ahead of the first World Cup match."
“I am sure chief selector Minhajul Abedin also denied the report that I told him that I would play five matches in the World Cup.”
Notably, the notion was refuted by chief selector Minhajul Abedin after he revealed Bangladesh's World Cup roster on Tuesday.
Tamim declared his retirement from international cricket in July 2023, only to change his mind the next day after the intervention.
He was left out of the Bangladesh Asia Cup squad due to a back injury.
However, he returned to the squad against New Zealand where he scored 44 runs in the second match but was left out of the Men’s World Cup squad due to his relentless back injury.
Refuting all these rumors Minhajul Abedin, the chairman of the national team selection panel earlier stated the selection was made after asking all the stakeholders including the team management and medical team. The team management was particularly concerned about the risk of exacerbating Tamim's injury during the long World Cup campaign.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)