Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal is expected to make a comeback as the newly appointed President of the Bangladesh Cricket (BCB), Faruque Ahmed, expressed his desire of bringing him back.
Speaking exclusively in his inaugural press conference, Ahmed sparked the veteran opener’s return and continue playing for another two to three years.
“The relevant board department will see what he has to do to play for Bangladesh. I would like to see Tamim Iqbal play for two or three years more. Maybe ODI is his best format now. I think Tamim can tell you better whether he can play the longer format,” Faruque said at Dhaka’s Shere Bangla National Stadium.
Last year, the left-handed batter announced retirement before reversing his decision after an intervention from former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He has not been seen in the international cricket since September 2023.
However, the skipper actively participated in domestic leagues, including Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Dhaka Premier League (DPL).
The new President continued the conversation by emphasising on directly discussing Tamim’s plans in the near future.
“I want to speak to Tamim about his future plans. He is a former captain, so he definitely has leadership qualities. If he doesn't want to play, I will be happy to see him get involved with the board. He can serve us well on the board,” he said.
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old is regarded as the Bangladesh’s most successful ODI batter.
He has contributed by scoring 8,357 runs in 243 matches at an average of 36.62, including 14 centuries and 56 half-centuries.
Considering Test cricket, Tamim, 35, has made 5134 runs in 70 fixtures, with 10 centuries, and 31 fifties.
Additionally, during his T20I career, he has scored 1758 runs in 78 matches, hitting seven fifties and one century.
- Tamim Iqbal
