Revealed: Why Tamim Iqbal Was Not Included In Bangladesh Squad For ICC World Cup 2023

The 34-year-old Bangladesh National Cricket Team batting great Tamim Iqbal, who is the leading run-getter of the Bangla Tigers in ODIs, has not been selected in the 15-man squad that will travel to India for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

On Tuesday, September 26, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 15-man squad for the World Cup. The squad was along the expected lines with the only big news coming out being the non-selection of Tamim Iqbal.

Tamim had announced his retirement from international cricket on July 6, but he withdrew his retirement a day after announcing it following an intervention by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After reversing his retirement, Tamim Iqbal missed the Asia Cup 2023 due to an injury. Following the layoff, he participated in the recently concluded New Zealand ODIs, where he batted only in the second ODI where he scored 44 runs on September 23.

Real Reason Behind Tamim Iqbal’s Exclusion

Ahead of the squad announcement for the World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was informed by Tamim Iqbal that he won’t be able to play all the matches in the tournament due to his fitness issues and will feature in a maximum of five matches, reported numerous Bangladesh media outlets.

After Tamim had informed the selectors to keep in mind his back injury before selecting the final squad, the BCB President Nazmul Hossain Papon reportedly called an emergency meeting with captain Shakib Al Hasan and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha at his residence.

Meanwhile, a BCB official told The Daily Star that Shakib Al Hasan threatened to step down as captain and not participate in the tournament if half-fit player, Tamim Iqbal, was selected.

In the end, the decision was made by BCB to leave Tamim Iqbal out of the squad for the World Cup and reportedly the reason behind his exclusion was that Shakib Al Hasan was against his selection. Also, Cricfrenzy has reported that Nafees Iqbal, Tamim’s elder brother, has been removed as Team Manager of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the exclusion of Tamim from the World Cup squad all but confirms that he has played his last ODI for Bangladesh. Overall, the star batter represented the Bangla Tigers in 243 ODIs and scored 8357 runs at an average of 36.65, with 14 centuries and 56 half-centuries.

Bangladesh Squad For ICC World Cup 2023: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Litton Das (Vice-captain), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Sakib, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman