"Shakib Al Hasan Could've Messaged Tamim Iqbal," Mashrafe Mortaza Slams Bangladesh Captain And Bangladesh Cricket Board

Bangladesh Cricket Board finally announced their squad for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, one of the major talking points of the squad was the exclusion of Tamim Iqbal. Tamim Iqbal was not included in the 15-member squad for the World Cup. He was struggling with a back injury which is why he decided to take retirement from the game but just after announcing his retirement, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested him personally to keep playing till the World Cup is over.

It must be so disappointing for Tamim Iqbal to come out of retirement for the World Cup and then be excluded from the squad. Tamim was left out of the squad because apparently, he refused to bat in the lower middle-order but it was not the coach or the captain himself who broke the news to Tamim, it was a BCB official who asked Tamim to bat in the lower middle-order.

Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza slammed Bangladesh Cricket Board and Shakib Al Hasan on their poor man management skills for not being able to handle Tamim Iqbal’s case prior to the World Cup. Mashrafe believes that Shakib could’ve at least called Tamim and talked to him about the plans he had in his mind about Tamim’s batting position.

Tamim Iqbal Came Out Of Retirement For The World Cup

“According to my cricket knowledge, this instruction of batting in the middle order or skipping the first game should have come from the coach, captain, or a selector who will go with the team. Not from any BCB official. They could have said it after announcing the squad or two days before the first game. I don’t understand the reason behind telling this to Tamim before announcing the squad,” said Mashrafe on his official Facebook handle.

When Tamim Iqbal announced his retirement then the matter went even to the prime minister of Bangladesh who personally requested him to play in the World Cup.

Tamim Iqbal respected the Prime Minister’s request and took back his decision and now he has been excluded from the World Cup squad after allegedly not obliging to bat in the lower middle order. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh team has arrived in Guwahati where they will face Sri Lanka in their first warm-up match. They will start their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan on 6th October.