In the lead-up to the highly anticipated World Cup, tensions within the Bangladesh cricket team have come to the forefront. The latest controversy involves a scathing critique from star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan directed at fellow teammate Tamim Iqbal. In a no-holds-barred interview, Shakib labeled Tamim as “childish” and accused him of prioritizing personal interests over the team’s needs.
A persistent back injury has marred Tamim’s journey leading to the World Cup. This injury was cited as the reason for his exclusion from the World Cup squad, which stirred controversy.
Tamim took to Facebook to assert that he would have been fit to participate in the World Cup had it not been for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), creating roadblocks for him. He mentioned a top board official asking him to change his batting position as one of these roadblocks.
Shakib questioned Tamim’s decision to prioritize his batting position over the team’s needs. He argued that a player should be willing to bat at any position for the sake of the team’s success, drawing a parallel with Rohit Sharma’s career trajectory.
“I am sure someone who is authorized had said this (to Tamim). I am sure whoever has said it, he thought of the team. A lot of things go into building a combination for a match. So, if someone had said this to him, was it wrong? Or we can’t make such a proposal? I will tell someone that you can do whatever you want. Is the team first or the individual?” Shakib told the Dhaka-based TV channel T-Sports in an interview aired on Wednesday night.
In a stern critique, Shakib accused Tamim of selfishness, emphasizing that players should prioritize the team’s goals over personal achievements. He contended that Tamim’s reluctance to adapt was detrimental to the team’s unity and performance.
“Someone like Rohit Sharma built his career from No. 7 to opener, scored 10,000-plus runs. If he sometimes bats at No 3 or 4, would it be a big problem? It is totally childish. It is my bat, I will play. No one else can play. A player should bat at any position for the team. Team first. It doesn’t matter if you have made 100 or 200, and the team loses. What can you do with personal achievement? Do you want to make a name for yourself?
“You are not thinking about the team at all. People need to understand these things. Why was the proposal given to him? It was for the team. What is wrong with that? You are a team man when you agree to such a proposal. You need to think along those lines to be a team man. You are playing for individual records, success, fame, and name. Not for the team.”
Shakib defended the importance of fitness, stating that players should be 100% fit when representing their team or country. He cited MS Dhoni’s perspective that an unfit player cheats on the team and country.
“I didn’t discuss the subject with the player, medical team, or selector. It is the board’s decision. People might doubt my capability or capacity, but someone like MS Dhoni, who has won everything and has the knowledge and sense, once said that the unfit player who is playing is cheating his team and country. We should accept it, and not just Tamim but every player (you must be fully fit when playing for the team or country).”
There were speculations that Tamim might only be fit for a limited number of matches at the World Cup. While Tamim refuted these claims, doubts lingered among some quarters.
Shakib also criticized Tamim’s decision to resign as ODI captain two months before the World Cup. He suggested that such a move left the new captain with insufficient time to prepare, a situation that could have been avoided.
‘If You Want To Win The World Cup, Then You Have To Beat…’, Gautam Gambhir Comes With An Interesting Analysis
Shakib questioned why Tamim didn’t resign earlier, allowing for a smoother transition in leadership. He insinuated that everyone, including the selectors and board officials, knew about this impending change.
“I don’t know why he didn’t leave it (earlier). He can tell you. It is like your commander takes you to war, but (Shakib mimicking a soldier) after he has got you ready, the commander isn’t telling you to fire or retreat. Where will you go? We were in this situation in the last two matches against Afghanistan (in July). The captain wouldn’t have changed ahead of the Asia Cup and the World Cup unless he announced that he was resigning or retiring. It would have happened 18 months ago when everyone knew what would happen.” Shakib concluded.
The rift between Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal has brought the internal dynamics of the Bangladesh cricket team into the spotlight. As the World Cup approaches, the team faces not only the challenge of performing on the field but also the task of resolving these internal conflicts. Whether these tensions will impact Bangladesh’s performance in the tournament remains to be seen.
