Veteran Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal has clearly said that he would be extending his break from T20Is for the next six months, as he wants the young players to be given the opportunity in the format to take the game forward for the team.
He is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL 2022), where he has smashed two fifties in the first four matches for the Minister Group Dhaka.
The 32-year-old has not played T20I cricket since March 2020 and even he withdrew his name from last year's T20 World Cup 2021 to give youngsters an opportunity. Bangladesh didn’t have a good outing at the T20 World Cup 2021 and then suffered a clean-sweep T20I series loss against Pakistan at home in November.
Given Bangladesh’s struggle recently and the upcoming two-match T20I series against Afghanistan at home next month, there were speculations for Tamim's return, but he has made it clear that he is not going to return at least 6 months, which means he is unlikely to play in the T20 World Cup 2022.
Tamim told reporters: “In the last few days, I have been doing meetings with the BCB president (Nazmul Hassan) and Jalal (Yunus) bhai and Kazi Inam (Ahmed). They wanted me to continue T20Is till the World Cup (this year). I had a different sort of thinking. I will not be considering T20Is for the next six months. My full focus will be on Tests and ODIs.
We are preparing for the World Test Championship and qualification for the 2023 World Cup. I will not be thinking about T20Is in the next six months. I hope that those playing will do so well, that the team won't need me in T20Is. But if God forbid the team or cricket board needs me, and I am ready, I will possibly think about it."
Tamim further said that the management needs to keep faith in youngsters who were given chances in recent times.
"We handed chances to a number of youngsters in the last (T20I) series. We cannot lose hope in them quickly. We have to give them time. I think six months is a good enough time. I am pretty confident that I won't be needed in T20Is. Even then, if the team management or cricket board feels otherwise, I will be open for discussion.
"The team has to go forward. You know my stand ahead of the last T20 World Cup (of giving the young openers more opportunities), so it won't be wise to judge anyone after one or two series. Many of us seniors went through three or four bad series and then bounced back with maybe three good series on the trot. Considering those who will play in my place, I am sure they will find their feet and do well," he said.
The veteran cricketer also said that he must be selective with his international engagements in order to allow himself to extend his ODI and Test career.
He signed off by saying, “I have still four to five years left. If I can stay fit I want to play another four or five years.”
(With AFP/ESPNCricinfo Inputs)
