T20 World Cup is not as big as the ODI World Cup- Tamim Iqbal comes out in support of ODI format

Iqbal will captain Bangladesh in upcoming three-ODI series against Zimbabwe.

Bangladesh ODI team captain Tamim Iqbal has supported the cause of one-day international (ODI) cricket amidst concerns over its future. With the advent of T20 cricket and mushrooming T20 leagues all over the world, ODI cricket has been pushed to the brink of extinction.

However, Tamim, who recently confirmed his retirement from T20Is, supported the ODI format, calling it "very important" and echoed the same sentiment that was endorsed by the ICC recently regarding the future of 50-over cricket.

He even went on to say that the ODI World Cup was bigger and more significant than the T20 World Cup.

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''I think the ODIs are a very important format. Not only me but the ICC also said it. Everyone likes to see matches in this format. If you see the big tournaments of the ICC, then the T20 World Cup is not as big as the ODI World Cup. This is a very important format in cricket,” Tamim told Cricbuzz.

Bangladesh is currently occupying second place in the ICC Men's World Cup Super League standings, with 120 points from 18 matches, and is very close to confirming its direct qualification into the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

Bangladesh made 303/2 in the first ODI at Harare on August 6 after being asked to bat first by Zimbabwe captain Regis Chakabva. Tamim (62), Litton Das (81), Anamul Haque (73), and Mushfiqur Rahim (52*) were the main scorers for the visitors.

During his knock of 62, Tamim Iqbal became the first Bangladeshi batter to reach the 8,000 ODI runs milestone.

(Cricbuzz inputs)