In a surprising turn of events, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal has announced his decision to step down from his leadership role ahead of the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India. This decision comes after deliberations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Tamim had initially retired from international cricket last month, but Prime Minister Hasina persuaded him to reconsider his decision. As a result, he took over the ODI captaincy once again. However, owing to a back injury and the desire to focus more on his batting, Tamim has now decided to relinquish the captaincy, with the aspiration of managing his workload leading up to the World Cup, scheduled from October 5 to November 19 in India.
During a press conference on August 3, Tamim confirmed his decision: “I will step down as captain and concentrate as a player and try to give my best whenever the opportunity comes.”
Tamim’s back injury has been a cause for concern and has led him to opt out of participating in the Asia Cup 2023, which is set to be hosted in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The 34-year-old recently consulted a specialist in London to address the issue, and he aims to recover before potentially featuring in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home, scheduled from September 21 to 26.
As one of Bangladesh’s leading run-scorers in fifty-over cricket, Tamim remains a vital asset to the team even without the captaincy. Deciding to step down will allow him to focus on his batting and ensure he is in prime form for the prestigious World Cup event.
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With Tamim’s departure from the captaincy, the spotlight now falls on two potential candidates to lead Bangladesh in ODIs: Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das. Both players possess considerable experience and will be crucial in guiding the team forward.
Bangladesh fans will hope that Tamim’s decision to focus on his role as a player and address his back injury will result in his return to top form before the World Cup.
