Cricket News: Why Tamim Iqbal was left out of Bangladesh’s World Cup squad | BCB call for emergency meeting
If there is anything we are never short of in Bangladesh cricket, it has to be the countless sparkling stories that happen off the field. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) faced quite a turn of events on the eve of the ICC’s deadline to announce the World Cup squad, with Tamim Iqbal at the heart of it all.
Till Monday morning, the only known reason for the delay in announcing the squad was that the board were deciding on the backup opener and number seven position in the side.
However, then came additional drama. A few renowned local media outlets in Bangladesh reported that Tamim Iqbal informed the BCB he won’t be able to play all the matches in the World Cup as he is still feeling pain due to his earlier injury.
The story behind why Tamim Iqbal was left out of Bangladesh’s World Cup Squad
Bangladesh’s 2023 World Cup squad: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Tanzid Tamim, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
According to reports, Tamim didn’t mention which matches he intended to play, but only stated that if the team management wants to take him to the World Cup, they have to accept that they are taking a half-fit player. In the end, the BCB made the call to exclude him from the squad.
The revelation shocked the BCB and team management, who faced a dilemma at the last hour before announcing the squad. It forced BCB President Nazmul Hossain Papon to call an emergency meeting on Monday night with Bangladesh’s ODI captain Shakib Al Hasan and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha at his residence.
Earlier, it was also reported that Tamim was present in that meeting. However, it was a misunderstanding from the media as Shakib and Tamim were not present together at the BCB President’s residence.
The meeting didn’t last for more than half an hour. Neither Nazmul nor Shakib addressed the media afterwards.
Shakib to lead Bangladesh, despite rumours he was to stand down from the captaincy
This story is almost like a soap opera filled with new twists and turns almost every hour. According to a report, a BCB official, who refused to reveal his name, told The Daily Star that Shakib wanted to step down as captain because he was against taking a half-fit cricketer in the World Cup squad.
Given that Tamim has been excluded, we perhaps may not know whether those rumours were indeed true. However, according to Cricfrenzy, Nafees Iqbal, Tamim’s elder brother, has been removed as Team Manager and will not be travelling to India for the World Cup.
The whole episode has the potential to be quite the distraction for a Bangladesh side that needs to pick up its game after disappointing performances in recent times.
Otherwise, a disappointing World Cup campaign awaits.
