Tamim Iqbal, the former captain of Bangladesh, emphasized that several factors must align for him to return to the national team. He played a pivotal role with the bat, leading Fortune Barishal to their inaugural Bangladesh Premier League T20 title, defeating four-time champions Comilla Victorians by six wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Over the past year, Bangladesh cricket underwent significant changes since Tamim’s unretirement and subsequent decision not to make himself available for the ICC World Cup.
Tamim, who declined a national contract, was expected to discuss his international career with BCB president Nazmul Hasan, but the conversation is currently postponed.
He stated, “For me to make a comeback, several conditions must align; otherwise, it’s pointless. I’m in a stage of my career where I foresee playing for another two years. Therefore, I need to address certain matters. Since I haven’t had conclusive discussions with them, it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment further.”
Regarding communication with the new chief selector, Tamim mentioned, “I haven’t had a discussion with him yet. I was in touch with Jalal bhai (Jalal Yunus). Though I was available for a conversation, unfortunately, it didn’t materialize. I’ll be traveling abroad tomorrow, and hopefully, upon my return, we can have a discussion.”
Despite being the top run-scorer in the tournament, tallying 492 runs in 15 matches and earning the title of man-of-the-tournament, Tamim clarified that he isn’t seeking validation from anyone, as it would burden him unnecessarily.
Reflecting on his cricket journey, Tamim shared, “Throughout my international career, I’ve experienced numerous highs and lows, faced doubts about my place in the team, and felt the need to prove myself. However, I learned that attempting to prove others wrong only added pressure. This realization came after 17 years of my career. I aimed to apply this lesson during the recent tournament. While there might have been talks if I didn’t perform well, we had a supportive environment to address it.”