Bangladesh’s legend Tamim Iqbal announces retirement from international cricket ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025
New Delhi: Tamim Iqbal has hung up his boots from international cricket, putting to rest any murmurs about his possible comeback for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. Even though the Bangladesh Cricket Board and fellow player Najmul Shanto urged him to reconsider, Tamim decided against shaking up the current team’s chemistry, thereby closing the chapter on his remarkable career.
The 35-year-old opening batsman hung up his boots from international cricket in June 2023, with his last game played in September that year. He faced a setback when he wasn’t picked for Bangladesh’s squad in the ICC World Cup 2023, making his journey back to the national team difficult since then.
With the 2025 Champions Trophy on the horizon, there’s chatter about Tamim possibly rejoining Bangladesh’s ODI squad, especially after the team’s underwhelming showing in 2024. Since making his international debut in 2007, Tamim has been considering retirement ever since his surprising omission from the 2023 World Cup line-up.
“I have been away from international cricket for a long time. That distance will never punch again. End of my chapter in international cricket, ” Tamim Iqbal wrote. “Been thinking about this for a long time. Now that there is a big seat ahead like the Champions Trophy, I don’t want me to be discussed again and the team’s attention disrupted.
“Definitely never wanted this before. I removed myself from the BCB central agreement long ago because I didn’t want it. Although many said, it’s been in the media many times, I’m the one hanging the matter. But there is nothing to plan or discuss about the BCB who is not in any agreement, who has stood away more than a year ago. Even after that, there was unnecessary discussion. The decision to retire or continue playing is the own right of a cricketer or any professional athlete. I gave myself time. Now I feel like the time has come.
Tamim thanked the selection committee and captain Najmul Shanto for their warm reception upon his return. He appreciated how they helped him regain a sense of worth, emphasizing how crucial support from leadership was in his choice to come back to the team.
“Captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto sincerely asked me to return. Discussion with the election committee also,” Tamim added. “Gratitude to them for still making me feel worthy. But I heard my mind. What happened before the 2023 World Cup, was a big shock for me, as I did not go out of the team due to cricket.
“Everywhere I go, many cricket fans said they want to see me again in the national team. I thought of their love. I also have a fan in my room. My son never told me straight, but repeatedly told his mom, wants to see Dad play in country jersey again. I’m sorry for disappointing fans. Telling my son, ‘The day you grow up, you will understand your father.”
The former captain of Bangladesh’s cricket team took part in 387 international games and scored an impressive 15,192 runs, a figure that was recently surpassed by Mushfiqur Rahim. However, he still stands as Bangladesh’s top run-scorer in ODI cricket with a total of 8,357 runs achieved over 240 matches. He holds an outstanding record for the nation, racking up 25 international centuries.