Tamim Iqbal opens up after being excluded from World Cup squad

Former Bangladesh cricket team captain Tamim Iqbal has made shocking revelations about his omission from the upcoming World Cup squad. In a video message, the veteran cricketer shed light on the circumstances that led to his decision to withdraw from consideration for the tournament.

Tamim disclosed that he had a candid conversation with a high-ranking official from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The official allegedly informed him that he would be part of the World Cup squad but under certain conditions related to his fitness. This included sitting out the opening game against Afghanistan and the possibility of being sent down the batting order.

The cricketer expressed his dismay at the proposed changes, explaining, “A top-level official of the board who is involved with our cricket called me and told me that you will go to World Cup and we have to make you play by managing [your fitness],” Tamim said on his official Facebook page.

“He told, ‘do one thing, you don’t play the opening game against Afghanistan’. I told him look there is still 10 to 12 days and in 12-13 days I will be in good state so why I should not be playing?. Then he said, ‘if you play, we are planning to send you down the order.”

“You have to understand I’m coming from which mind set. I played a good innings after a while (against New Zealand) and I was happy about it. But all of a sudden these kinds of words were not something that I could take,” he said.

“I am playing in the same position for last 17 years and I never batted at three or four. If I was batting at three or four and later my batting position was changed up and down, in that case it could be adjusted. But I don’t have any experience batting at three and four position. Certainly I did not take it well. I was feeling that I am forced in lot of areas willingly, like it is going well let’s do something new [to irritate him]. That is what I was feeling.”

Clearly perturbed by the sudden change, Tamim made a strong statement, declaring that he did not want to be a part of what he referred to as BCB’s “dirty game”. He emphasized his reluctance to be coerced into a situation that did not align with his long-established playing style and preferences.

“At that point I said that if you are thinking like this then don’t send me because I don’t want to be part of this dirty game. Later I have a spoken a lot with him that I don’t want disclose in this platform and I want it remain between the two of us. Still I told him that if these things happen don’t keep me because I don’t want to be part these dirty things,” he said.

According to Tamim, the physio’s report had mentioned his occasional pain but did not impose any restrictions on his availability for the tournament.

“According to the physio report, my condition was explained… like there was pain after the first game and there was pain after the second game and he is available for selection for the game on the 26th but medical department felt if I take rest we travel on the 27th… We have a practice game on 28 [29] and another one on 1st or 2nd and if I play the second practice game. If I take rest now and play the second practice game, I will have enough rest and overall I will have 10-week rehab and will be in good position to play the first game,” he said.

“There was no where written [in the physio report] that I would be available for five matches or and cannot play and things like that. I am not denying that I had pain and basically this is what happened. I think what is coming in the media…about my injury or that I’m available for five matches… I don’t think it is largely responsible for my not going into the World Cup because I was not injured till now, there can be pain but I was not injured,” Tamim added.